# Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement Center for Advancing Behavioral Health

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR · 2020 · $189,376

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
We propose an innovative Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement Center for Advancing
Behavioral Health (TREE Center). We propose to expand on and leverage the knowledge, research capacities
and cross-sectoral collaborations established by the former NM CARES Health Disparities Center (P20
MD004811, R. Williams, PI). We will use these strengths to specifically target improvement of behavioral
health disparities for socioeconomically disadvantaged and underserved rural populations with a southwest
regional focus on American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and Latinos in New Mexico. Our goal is to highlight
the social determinants of behavioral health, including Adverse Childhood Experiences, historical trauma, and
intersectional effects of poverty and discrimination to improve conditions and outcomes related to youth
suicide, alcohol and drug misuse, depression, and access to behavioral health services. The four aims of the
TREE Center are to: 1. Implement a co-leadership model in order to promote transdisciplinary, multi-level
intervention research that will advance the knowledge and science to improve behavioral health outcomes; 2.
Operationalize collaborative integration of theories, study design, and analysis into multi-level interventions that
improve behavioral health outcomes due to an the interplay of biological, behavioral, physical environment,
health care system, economic, and political forces in our representative rural, AI/AN, Latino and other partner
communities; 3. Expand the development of a diverse scientific workforce by training new and early stage
under-represented minority investigators in a transdisciplinary context, to conduct community engaged, multi-
level intervention behavioral health research; and 4. Cultivate equitable collaborations with community and
tribal stakeholders regionally and nationally in order to translate and co-disseminate transdisciplinary research
evidence into practice and policy. The combined human, intellectual and relational resources and institutional
commitments of Tree Center office space, travel funding for engaging with the Community Scientific Advisory
Committee and dedicated mentoring of senior faculty will strengthen our impact in training the next generation
of under-represented minorities and advancing the behavioral health of diverse populations in the southwest.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246685
- **Project number:** 3U54MD004811-09S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $189,376
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2010-05-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246685

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246685, Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement Center for Advancing Behavioral Health (3U54MD004811-09S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246685. Licensed CC0.

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