SAN ANTONIO — Dr. Jessica Sandoval, an associate clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio, has received a $300,000 grant from the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium. This funding is part of the New and Emerging Children’s Mental Health Research initiative and will support her study on the effects of Spanish-language interpretation quality on child mental health outcomes.
Dr. Sandoval’s research aims to assess how the quality of Spanish-language interpretation during psychiatric evaluations influences both the clinical outcomes for child patients and the level of trust between parents and physicians. Her project will investigate whether effective interpretation impacts treatment results and the establishment of a trusting relationship, which is crucial for successful mental health care.
“While having an interpreter addresses the language barriers that may exist, we don’t know if the quality of that interpretation has any impact on patient outcomes and their ability to form a trusting relationship with their psychiatrist, which can be an important element of treatment,” Sandoval explained.
Sandoval’s study is driven by concerns that Hispanic patients frequently face unmet mental health needs, reduced access to care, and shorter durations in treatment when they do seek help. This research could reveal previously unrecognized disparities in mental health care and potentially lead to improved strategies for serving this population.
The Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium has awarded a total of $8.3 million in grants to 25 projects, with fifteen of those grants going to researchers within the University of Texas System. The New and Emerging Children’s Mental Health Research initiative is designed to enhance child and adolescent mental health in Texas and support the development of emerging researchers in the field.
The grants will fund two-year projects starting September 1, 2024. Dr. Sandoval’s project will be among those scrutinized by a rigorous review process involving out-of-state scientific reviewers and Texas-based mental health professionals.
David Lakey, MD, vice chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer with The University of Texas System, emphasized the importance of aligning grant proposals with state needs. “We worked diligently to ensure the process mirrored that of the best grant programs in Texas and that these proposals align with the needs of the state as identified by our Texas mental health agencies in terms of improving children’s mental health systems and services,” Lakey said.
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