Janice Cooper | Emory University (original) (raw)
Papers by Janice Cooper
Global Maternal and Child Health, 2019
During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, pregnant women faced challenges accessing care and keeping s... more During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, pregnant women faced challenges accessing care and keeping safe. Many health care facilities closed. The public discourse on the impact of Ebola created fear of pregnant women and fostered stigma and discrimination. Many providers refused to treat to pregnant women, and consequently maternal health care declined. In this study, enrollees were women who were pregnant during the outbreak, who lost pregnancies, who delivered healthy babies, and health care providers who treated women with Ebola. Study participants were recruited based on their experiences in the outbreak and reflected convenience sampling and snowballing. Participation was through a focus group or in-depth individual interviews. Data was coded, tabulated, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively based on major themes. Three women who experienced pregnancy and pregnancy loss during the Ebola virus outbreak and seven health care workers who supported women who were pregnant were enrolled. Respondents were deeply impacted by the outbreak—some were infected, and many pregnant women experienced stigma, discrimination, and poor access to care. Women were forced to make tough ethical decisions that led to on-going distress at time when they were experiencing significant psychological problems and trauma. The Ebola epidemic led to personal, psychological, and economic and health system losses, as well as changes in health care delivery. Unfortunately, many of the factors that fueled Ebola’s adverse and disproportional impact on Liberia’s pregnant women persist, and addressing these factors requires urgent action.
By all indicators, the need for mental health services has been more not less. Not everybody is i... more By all indicators, the need for mental health services has been more not less. Not everybody is in agreement that schools should be doing this. The long and short of it is there is some confusion about what constitutes mental health.VU.S. Department of Education official, 2006 Provision of health care in schools is a logical component of an advanced industrial society; however, health care providers have struggled to make universal school health and mental health a reality. Despite the President_s New Freedom Commission Report that stressed the need for school-based mental health in the context of a wider public health agenda, school mental health services and supports continue to be frag-mented.1 Instead of riding a wave of new resources, knowledge, and a quality focus, the school-based mental health movement struggles to answer basic questions about identity. Is school mental health the provision of services similar to those found in a community mental health center? Is it psychos...
Liberia’s health system was also weakened by the civil war, leaving health facilities struggling ... more Liberia’s health system was also weakened by the civil war, leaving health facilities struggling to respond to the EVD outbreak effectively. There was a lack of basic drugs and medical supplies, as well as the disenchantment of low-paid health workers. In fact, health workers had planned a strike right when the Ebola virus hit. Another challenge was that health workers often lived very long distances away from the health facilities.
215 West 125th Street, 3rd floor New York, NY 10027-4426 646-284-9600 www.nccp.org Mental hea... more 215 West 125th Street, 3rd floor New York, NY 10027-4426 646-284-9600 www.nccp.org Mental health is a key component in a child’s healthy development. Children need to be healthy in order to learn, grow, and lead productive lives. There are effective treatments, services, and supports that can help children and youth with mental health problems and those at risk to thrive and live successfully. Most children and youth in need of mental health services do not receive them.
Education programs have been central to reestablishing social norms, rebuilding public educationa... more Education programs have been central to reestablishing social norms, rebuilding public educational institutions, and addressing public attitudes toward mental illness in Liberia following a protracted civil war and the Ebola epidemic. The aim of this study was to determine if a program combining an understanding of neuroscience with mental health literacy content could increase teachers’ awareness of students’ mental health issues and produce changes in teacher attitudes and classroom practices. A tiered Training-of-Trainers approach was employed. The first workshop trained 24 Liberian secondary science teachers in the neurobiology of learning, memory, emotions, stress and adolescent brain development. A Leadership Team formed from eight of the Tier I participants then adapted the curriculum, added in more mental health literacy content and led four Tier II workshops and four follow-up Refresher sessions. Participants completed a neuroscience knowledge test and surveys assessing sti...
After acquiring knowledge of the neuroscience of learning, memory, stress and emotions, teachers ... more After acquiring knowledge of the neuroscience of learning, memory, stress and emotions, teachers incorporate more cognitive engagement and student-centered practices into their lessons. However, the role understanding neuroscience plays in teachers own affective and motivational competencies has not yet been investigated. The goal of this study was to investigate how learning neuroscience effected teachers’ self-efficacy, beliefs in their ability to teach effectively, self-responsibility and other components of teacher motivation. A pilot training-of-trainers program was designed and delivered in Liberia combining basic neuroscience with information on social, emotional, behavioral and mental health issues faced by students. Tier I of the professional development was a 2 weeks workshop led by a visiting neuroscientist. A subset of the 24 Tier I secondary science teachers formed a Leadership Team who adapted the content to the Liberian context and subsequently led additional workshop...
Innovations in Global Mental Health, 2021
Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 2019
The Neuroscientist, 2019
While neuroscience has elucidated the mechanisms underpinning learning and memory, accurate disse... more While neuroscience has elucidated the mechanisms underpinning learning and memory, accurate dissemination of this knowledge to teachers and educators has been limited. This review focuses on teacher professional development in neuroscience that harnessed the power of active-learning strategies and best educational practices resulting in increased teacher and student understanding of cognition and brain function. For teachers, the experience of learning a novel subject in an active manner enabled them to subsequently teach using similar strategies. Most important, participants viewed neuroscience as a frame for understanding why active-learning pedagogies work to engage and motivate students. Teachers themselves made connections applying neuroscience concepts to understand why learner-centered pedagogies are effective in promoting higher order thinking and deep learning in their students. Teachers planned and embraced pedagogies involving modeling, experimentation, discussion, analys...
School Psychology International, 2017
All around the world, partnerships among schools and other youth-serving systems are promoting mo... more All around the world, partnerships among schools and other youth-serving systems are promoting more comprehensive school-based mental health services. This article describes the development of international networks for school mental health (SMH) including the International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Schools (INTERCAMHS) and the more recent School Mental Health International Leadership Exchange (SMHILE). In conjunction with World Conferences on Mental Health Promotion, SMHILE has held pre-conference and planning meetings and has identified five critical themes for the advancement of global SMH: 1) Cross-sector collaboration in building systems of care; 2) meaningful youth and family engagement; 3) workforce development and mental health literacy; 4) implementation of evidence-based practices; and 5) ongoing monitoring and quality assurance. In this article we provide general background on SMH in four nations, two showing strong progress (the United States an...
BMC Psychiatry, 2016
Background: Access to mental health care services for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders re... more Background: Access to mental health care services for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders remains low especially in post-conflict, low and middle income countries. Persons with mental health conditions and epilepsy take many different paths when they access formal and informal care for their conditions. This study conducted across three countries sought to provide preliminary data to inform program development on access to care. It thus sought to assess the different pathways persons with severe mental disorders and epilepsy take when accessing care. It also sought to identify the barriers to accessing care that patients face. Methods: Six in depth interviews, 27 focus group discussions and 77 key informants' interviews were conducted on a purposively selected sample of health care workers, policy makers, service users and care takers in Uganda, Liberia and Nepal. Data collected along predetermined themes was analysed using Atlas ti software in Uganda and QSR Nvivo 10 in Liberia and Nepal Results: Individual's beliefs guide the paths they take when accessing care. Unlike other studies done in this area, majority of the study participants reported the hospital as their main source of care. Whereas traditional healers lie last in the hierarchy in Liberia and Nepal, they come after the hospital as a care option in Uganda. Systemic barriers such as: lack of psychotropic medicines, inadequate mental health specialists and services and negative attitudes of health care workers, family related and community related barriers were reported. Conclusion: Access to mental health care services by persons living with severe mental disorders and epilepsy remains low in these three post conflict countries. The reasons contributing to it are multi-faceted ranging from systemic, familial, community and individual. It is imperative that policies and programming address: negative attitudes and stigma from health care workers and community, regular provision of medicines and other supplies, enhancement of health care workers skills. Ultimately reducing the accessibility gap will also require use of expert clients and families to strengthen the treatment coalition.
Essentials of Global Mental Health
American Journal of Public Health, 2015
Global Mental Health
In the wake of George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis and the global response inspir... more In the wake of George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis and the global response inspired by Black Lives Matter, it is time for the field of global mental health to reexamine how we have acknowledged and addressed racism in our institutions, our research, and our mental health services. In solidarity with street level responses, this is an important opportunity to understand and collaboratively respond to public demand for systemic change. To respond effectively, it is vital to (1) be aware of the colonial history that influences today's practices, and move forward with anti-colonial and anti-racist actions; (2) identify where and why diversity and representation are lacking in the global mental health workforce, then follow steps to combat these disparities; and (3) work with communities and institutions to end both police violence and structural violence.
Global Mental Health
Background The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is a law enforcement strategy that aims to bu... more Background The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is a law enforcement strategy that aims to build alliances between the law enforcement and mental health communities. Despite its success in the United States, CIT has not been used in low- and middle-income countries. This study assesses the immediate and 9-month outcomes of CIT training on trainee knowledge and attitudes. Methods Twenty-two CIT trainees (14 law enforcement officers and eight mental health clinicians) were evaluated using pre-developed measures assessing knowledge and attitudes related to mental illness. Evaluations were conducted prior to, immediately after, and 9 months post training. Results The CIT training produced improvements both immediately and 9 months post training in knowledge and attitudes, suggesting that CIT can benefit law enforcement officers even in extremely low-resource settings with limited specialized mental health service infrastructure. Conclusion These findings support further exploration ...
Global Maternal and Child Health, 2019
During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, pregnant women faced challenges accessing care and keeping s... more During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, pregnant women faced challenges accessing care and keeping safe. Many health care facilities closed. The public discourse on the impact of Ebola created fear of pregnant women and fostered stigma and discrimination. Many providers refused to treat to pregnant women, and consequently maternal health care declined. In this study, enrollees were women who were pregnant during the outbreak, who lost pregnancies, who delivered healthy babies, and health care providers who treated women with Ebola. Study participants were recruited based on their experiences in the outbreak and reflected convenience sampling and snowballing. Participation was through a focus group or in-depth individual interviews. Data was coded, tabulated, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively based on major themes. Three women who experienced pregnancy and pregnancy loss during the Ebola virus outbreak and seven health care workers who supported women who were pregnant were enrolled. Respondents were deeply impacted by the outbreak—some were infected, and many pregnant women experienced stigma, discrimination, and poor access to care. Women were forced to make tough ethical decisions that led to on-going distress at time when they were experiencing significant psychological problems and trauma. The Ebola epidemic led to personal, psychological, and economic and health system losses, as well as changes in health care delivery. Unfortunately, many of the factors that fueled Ebola’s adverse and disproportional impact on Liberia’s pregnant women persist, and addressing these factors requires urgent action.
By all indicators, the need for mental health services has been more not less. Not everybody is i... more By all indicators, the need for mental health services has been more not less. Not everybody is in agreement that schools should be doing this. The long and short of it is there is some confusion about what constitutes mental health.VU.S. Department of Education official, 2006 Provision of health care in schools is a logical component of an advanced industrial society; however, health care providers have struggled to make universal school health and mental health a reality. Despite the President_s New Freedom Commission Report that stressed the need for school-based mental health in the context of a wider public health agenda, school mental health services and supports continue to be frag-mented.1 Instead of riding a wave of new resources, knowledge, and a quality focus, the school-based mental health movement struggles to answer basic questions about identity. Is school mental health the provision of services similar to those found in a community mental health center? Is it psychos...
Liberia’s health system was also weakened by the civil war, leaving health facilities struggling ... more Liberia’s health system was also weakened by the civil war, leaving health facilities struggling to respond to the EVD outbreak effectively. There was a lack of basic drugs and medical supplies, as well as the disenchantment of low-paid health workers. In fact, health workers had planned a strike right when the Ebola virus hit. Another challenge was that health workers often lived very long distances away from the health facilities.
215 West 125th Street, 3rd floor New York, NY 10027-4426 646-284-9600 www.nccp.org Mental hea... more 215 West 125th Street, 3rd floor New York, NY 10027-4426 646-284-9600 www.nccp.org Mental health is a key component in a child’s healthy development. Children need to be healthy in order to learn, grow, and lead productive lives. There are effective treatments, services, and supports that can help children and youth with mental health problems and those at risk to thrive and live successfully. Most children and youth in need of mental health services do not receive them.
Education programs have been central to reestablishing social norms, rebuilding public educationa... more Education programs have been central to reestablishing social norms, rebuilding public educational institutions, and addressing public attitudes toward mental illness in Liberia following a protracted civil war and the Ebola epidemic. The aim of this study was to determine if a program combining an understanding of neuroscience with mental health literacy content could increase teachers’ awareness of students’ mental health issues and produce changes in teacher attitudes and classroom practices. A tiered Training-of-Trainers approach was employed. The first workshop trained 24 Liberian secondary science teachers in the neurobiology of learning, memory, emotions, stress and adolescent brain development. A Leadership Team formed from eight of the Tier I participants then adapted the curriculum, added in more mental health literacy content and led four Tier II workshops and four follow-up Refresher sessions. Participants completed a neuroscience knowledge test and surveys assessing sti...
After acquiring knowledge of the neuroscience of learning, memory, stress and emotions, teachers ... more After acquiring knowledge of the neuroscience of learning, memory, stress and emotions, teachers incorporate more cognitive engagement and student-centered practices into their lessons. However, the role understanding neuroscience plays in teachers own affective and motivational competencies has not yet been investigated. The goal of this study was to investigate how learning neuroscience effected teachers’ self-efficacy, beliefs in their ability to teach effectively, self-responsibility and other components of teacher motivation. A pilot training-of-trainers program was designed and delivered in Liberia combining basic neuroscience with information on social, emotional, behavioral and mental health issues faced by students. Tier I of the professional development was a 2 weeks workshop led by a visiting neuroscientist. A subset of the 24 Tier I secondary science teachers formed a Leadership Team who adapted the content to the Liberian context and subsequently led additional workshop...
Innovations in Global Mental Health, 2021
Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 2019
The Neuroscientist, 2019
While neuroscience has elucidated the mechanisms underpinning learning and memory, accurate disse... more While neuroscience has elucidated the mechanisms underpinning learning and memory, accurate dissemination of this knowledge to teachers and educators has been limited. This review focuses on teacher professional development in neuroscience that harnessed the power of active-learning strategies and best educational practices resulting in increased teacher and student understanding of cognition and brain function. For teachers, the experience of learning a novel subject in an active manner enabled them to subsequently teach using similar strategies. Most important, participants viewed neuroscience as a frame for understanding why active-learning pedagogies work to engage and motivate students. Teachers themselves made connections applying neuroscience concepts to understand why learner-centered pedagogies are effective in promoting higher order thinking and deep learning in their students. Teachers planned and embraced pedagogies involving modeling, experimentation, discussion, analys...
School Psychology International, 2017
All around the world, partnerships among schools and other youth-serving systems are promoting mo... more All around the world, partnerships among schools and other youth-serving systems are promoting more comprehensive school-based mental health services. This article describes the development of international networks for school mental health (SMH) including the International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Schools (INTERCAMHS) and the more recent School Mental Health International Leadership Exchange (SMHILE). In conjunction with World Conferences on Mental Health Promotion, SMHILE has held pre-conference and planning meetings and has identified five critical themes for the advancement of global SMH: 1) Cross-sector collaboration in building systems of care; 2) meaningful youth and family engagement; 3) workforce development and mental health literacy; 4) implementation of evidence-based practices; and 5) ongoing monitoring and quality assurance. In this article we provide general background on SMH in four nations, two showing strong progress (the United States an...
BMC Psychiatry, 2016
Background: Access to mental health care services for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders re... more Background: Access to mental health care services for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders remains low especially in post-conflict, low and middle income countries. Persons with mental health conditions and epilepsy take many different paths when they access formal and informal care for their conditions. This study conducted across three countries sought to provide preliminary data to inform program development on access to care. It thus sought to assess the different pathways persons with severe mental disorders and epilepsy take when accessing care. It also sought to identify the barriers to accessing care that patients face. Methods: Six in depth interviews, 27 focus group discussions and 77 key informants' interviews were conducted on a purposively selected sample of health care workers, policy makers, service users and care takers in Uganda, Liberia and Nepal. Data collected along predetermined themes was analysed using Atlas ti software in Uganda and QSR Nvivo 10 in Liberia and Nepal Results: Individual's beliefs guide the paths they take when accessing care. Unlike other studies done in this area, majority of the study participants reported the hospital as their main source of care. Whereas traditional healers lie last in the hierarchy in Liberia and Nepal, they come after the hospital as a care option in Uganda. Systemic barriers such as: lack of psychotropic medicines, inadequate mental health specialists and services and negative attitudes of health care workers, family related and community related barriers were reported. Conclusion: Access to mental health care services by persons living with severe mental disorders and epilepsy remains low in these three post conflict countries. The reasons contributing to it are multi-faceted ranging from systemic, familial, community and individual. It is imperative that policies and programming address: negative attitudes and stigma from health care workers and community, regular provision of medicines and other supplies, enhancement of health care workers skills. Ultimately reducing the accessibility gap will also require use of expert clients and families to strengthen the treatment coalition.
Essentials of Global Mental Health
American Journal of Public Health, 2015
Global Mental Health
In the wake of George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis and the global response inspir... more In the wake of George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis and the global response inspired by Black Lives Matter, it is time for the field of global mental health to reexamine how we have acknowledged and addressed racism in our institutions, our research, and our mental health services. In solidarity with street level responses, this is an important opportunity to understand and collaboratively respond to public demand for systemic change. To respond effectively, it is vital to (1) be aware of the colonial history that influences today's practices, and move forward with anti-colonial and anti-racist actions; (2) identify where and why diversity and representation are lacking in the global mental health workforce, then follow steps to combat these disparities; and (3) work with communities and institutions to end both police violence and structural violence.
Global Mental Health
Background The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is a law enforcement strategy that aims to bu... more Background The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is a law enforcement strategy that aims to build alliances between the law enforcement and mental health communities. Despite its success in the United States, CIT has not been used in low- and middle-income countries. This study assesses the immediate and 9-month outcomes of CIT training on trainee knowledge and attitudes. Methods Twenty-two CIT trainees (14 law enforcement officers and eight mental health clinicians) were evaluated using pre-developed measures assessing knowledge and attitudes related to mental illness. Evaluations were conducted prior to, immediately after, and 9 months post training. Results The CIT training produced improvements both immediately and 9 months post training in knowledge and attitudes, suggesting that CIT can benefit law enforcement officers even in extremely low-resource settings with limited specialized mental health service infrastructure. Conclusion These findings support further exploration ...