This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, evaluates the effectiveness of a multisector task-sharing collaborative in addressing the inter-related problems of mental health disorders, poverty, and housing instability among racial and ethnic minority communities residing in Harlem, New York. The collaborative trains the staff at low-income housing agencies and primary care practices to engage in mental health task-sharing, whereby staff deliver basic mental health support services such as screening, psychoeducation, peer support, and referral to mental health specialists. Community health workers are placed at these same sites to help connect clients with needed social services beyond housing and primary care. A randomized controlled trial is used to evaluate the impact of the task-sharing model on mental health, social functioning, employment, and quality of life. The study is conducted by the Harlem Strong Mental Health Coalition, led by the City University of New York (CUNY) in partnership with the Harlem Congregation for Community Improvement, and Healthfirst Managed Care.

Principal Investigator: 
Victoria Ngo, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Social Sciences
Director, Center for Innovation in Mental Health
Director of Global Mental Health, Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health
Adjunct Behavioral Scientist, RAND Corporation

Project Details:

Year: 2021
Funding Amount: $500,000
Status: Active