Collaborative Framework |
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Mental-health research can be enhanced and advanced through collaborations. Thus, enlisting the ongoing support and participation of researchers and mental health institutions in the community is an important factor to UTSA’s growth in the area of mental-health research. Fortunately, San Antonio has an extensive network of mental health facilities and a wealth of productive and experienced mental-health researchers. UTSA has laid the groundwork for collaborations through the Joint Life Sciences Initiative and the Southwest Research Consortium. Moreover, the willingness of mental-health researchers to work with UTSA demonstrated by their extensive involvement in the development of the STIMHR program and their long-term commitment to its success. To sustain this level of cooperation and expand the opportunities for collaboration, several initiatives will be undertaken. The following initiatives will help promote and maintain a collaborative research environment. |
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The Facilitated Collaboration Program Under the auspices of STIMHR, the Mental-Health Research Alliance (MHRA) was formed. MHRA consisted of mental-health researchers from UTSA, the Southwest Research Consortium (SRC), the University of Texas School of Public Health (SPH), and the Research Imaging Center (RIC). STIMHR facilitated collaborations among MHRA investigators by developing multidisciplinary and inter-institutional research teams. Students benefited from this arrangement through the screening and mentorship services provided by STIMHR. The ability of UTSA faculty to conduct mental-health research was enhanced through facilitated collaborations with other investigators at UTSA and in the San Antonio and South Texas Community. STIMHR maintained a centralized list of mental-health investigators from MHRA. The list of investigators who participated in the program indicated a desire to increase the scope of their collaborative research. STIMHR personnel compiled a bank of relevant information on these investigators including vitas, research interests, special needs, special resources, and so on. The STIMHR Advisory Committee and Director periodically reviewed the information to identify advantageous collaborations. In addition, the program supported ethnic-minority investigators who were relatively new to the mental-health field by paring them with more senior investigators who served as informal mentors. Thus, the Facilitated Collaboration Program served as a clearinghouse and point of contact for mental-health researchers at UTSA and in South Texas. More about the Mental-Health Research Alliance (MHRA)>> The chart below illustrates the organizational framework among the many students, staff, faculty, administrators, mental-health investigators, and community entities involved with STIMHR, both internal and external. This framework was established to accomplish the strategic aims of the STIMHR grant. . |
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