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Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology

Early and Gonzalez Publish Evaluation Results of a Bilingual Lay Mental Health Navigator Program

CSDE Affiliates Jody O. Early (Nursing and Health Studies) and Carmen Gonzalez (Communications) in partnership with colleagues Janessa Graves (School of Medicine)  and Julia Simoes (Communication) recently published a research brief,  “Advancing Community-Based Mental Health Promotion: An Evaluation of a Bilingual Lay Mental Health Navigator Program“, in the peer reviewed journal, Health Promotion Practice.  Early, Gonzalez, and co-authors presents evaluation results of Mental Health Matters of Washington’s Peer Mental Health Navigator (PMHN) program, which provides six-weeks of bilingual training to lay community members who go on to provide peer mental health support, education, and resource navigation Researchers used a non-controlled pre- and post-design with a 12-month follow up survey across seven cohorts of Spanish and English-speaking peer navigators (n = 141) over three years.  Results demonstrated significant improvements across outcome measures, with the largest effect sizes observed in self-efficacy (d=0.70-0.96). Qualitative analysis revealed high program satisfaction, with participants particularly valuing comprehensive resources, skilled facilitation, and culturally responsive content. Twelve-month follow-up indicated sustained engagement and skill application. The findings support increased investment in community-driven, culturally and linguistically attune  mental health promotion strategies that go beyond clinical interventions.

Rodriguez Edits Special Issue on Social Work Science and Advanced Computational Methods

CSDE External Affiliate Maria Y. Rodriguez (University at Buffalo) served as co-editor for a special issue of Research on Social Work Practice on “Social Work Science and Advanced Computational Methods.” Rodriguez and co-editor, Jo Ann Lee, argue that advanced computational methods can help us work toward solving complex social issues. The included manuscripts leverage cutting edge methods like agent-based modeling, network science, and LLMs, all within specific practice-contexts, with the aim of offering actionable solutions to pressing practice problems. The manuscripts also suggest that advanced computational methods require social work insight and ethics to work best for humans. Dr. Rodriguez is actively recruiting doctoral students for her lab: her research page has more details.

Partition and Solidarity: Anticolonial Struggles in the Colonial Present (03/06/26)

About the Conference
Over the past five centuries, empires have used partition and division to justify and advance colonialism. We can see that ongoing history of colonial rule and racial violence exploding around the world today—from Palestine to Minnesota and beyond.

Join us at this one-day symposium where scholars and activists will gather to engage in conversations about anticolonial struggles of the past and the present. How might we forge diasporic imaginaries and solidarity movements to contest the colonial world order toward collective liberation?

The symposium will include a keynote address by Adam Hanieh of the University of Exeter (UK), who has been selected to deliver a Walker-Ames public lecture. He is a leading scholar of Middle East politics and political economy who is framing and exploring the most urgent issue of our current moment. His talk on petroleum and capitalism, including the migrant workers behind the industry, will stress the inextricable links between global capitalism, colonial rule, and solidarity movements.

More information and schedule here: Partition and Solidarity: Anticolonial Struggles in the Colonial Present Conference | Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies – UW College of Arts and Sciences

Registration Information
Partition and Solidarity: Anticolonial Struggles in the Colonial Present is free and open to the public. However, due to space limitations, registration is required.

Registration for the conference includes a continental breakfast and a boxed lunch. A donation is suggested, but not required. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Registration is now open, RSVP here.