# PALOP Mental Health Implementation Research Training

> **NIH NIH D43** · NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE DBA RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC · 2022 · $267,390

## Abstract

With 29 million people and only 18 psychiatrists (trained abroad) and 125 clinical psychologists,
none of whom had a PhD prior to this D43, Mozambique faces enormous mental health (MH) care
challenges. To address the country’s large MH treatment and research gaps, through a North-
South-South collaboration between the US, Brazil and Mozambique, our PALOPmhIS-1
(Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa –Portuguese-speaking African countries– MH
implementation science; 2014-2019) D43 program has provided individually mentored hands-on
research and didactic training to four senior mentors from other medical fields and 11 trainees,
the majority of whom are women. We have had an enviable ‘return-on-investment’ in only five
years surpassing our targets: a) Research capacity building: nine fellows and two others are in
the final stages of obtaining their PhDs and Masters in Brazil, respectively (15 publications in
international journals); b) Research funding: fellows have become valuable investigators, and as
a team, we have garnered over $8.5 million in NIH-funded research; c) Implementation science
(IS): in a multiplier effect, fellows oversaw the training of 25 trainers, who in turn are training 300
primary care providers and 900 community health workers in evidence-based practices (EBPs)
targeting common mental disorders (Interpersonal Counseling), substance use disorders
(Motivational Interviewing), severe disorders (Psychiatric Medications), and suicidal risk (Safety
Planning), as part of two NIH-funded studies scaling-up comprehensive MH (NIMH) and
substance use (NIAAA) care integrated into primary care using mobile health technology; and, d)
Policy impact: our team, which includes Ministry of Health personnel, is leading the integration of
electronic medical records for clinical and research purposes, previously functioning as separate
disease-silos. We also initiated training activities for other PALOP countries. In response to
evolving needs and opportunities, PALOPmhIS-2 will (Objective 1) recruit and support long-
term (4 years) doctoral training of eight Fellows integrating a novel concentration in MH IS within
a Public Health PhD program in Mozambique; (Objective 2) offer past PALOPmhIS D43
graduates (N=11) and other Mozambican Mid-Level Faculty (N=50) medium-term training on new
scientific content: MH IS sustainability (Fogarty International Center Strategic Plan Goal 3), e-
Health (Goal 2), health informatics, EMR, large datasets, multimorbidities; and (Objective 3) train
five graduates in research leadership towards independence and local program sustainability. We
will extend training to other local and regional partners (Goal 1); pursue further research funding
opportunities, and continue to train the local workforce while scaling up the use of e-Health EBIs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10435546
- **Project number:** 5D43TW009675-08
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE DBA RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Emilia Virginia Noormahomed
- **Activity code:** D43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $267,390
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10435546

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10435546, PALOP Mental Health Implementation Research Training (5D43TW009675-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10435546. Licensed CC0.

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