PRC Seminar led by Scholars in the Prevention and Methodology Training Program (PAMT)

PRC Seminar led by Scholars in the Prevention and Methodology Training Program (PAMT)

Part 1: From Structural Inequities to Embodied Interventions: Re-imagining Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Through Culturally Responsive Yoga and Mindfulness

With Mary Mbaba, Ph.D., MPH, PAMT Postdoctoral Fellow

In this talk, Dr. Mbaba will discuss how over 15 years of research on structural inequities have shaped her current work on developing culturally responsive yoga and mindfulness interventions for mental health and substance use disorders. Drawing on prior research focused on HIV prevention, substance use, and mental health among structurally marginalized populations—including Black communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and justice-involved populations—she will examine how social and structural forces such as stigma, criminalization, and systemic inequities shape behavioral health risk and access to care. Dr. Mbaba will then present her emerging line of work integrating yoga, mindfulness, and community-engaged research methods to develop interventions that address not only individual well-being but also the broader contexts in which health disparities emerge. She will conclude by discussing the development of the RISE intervention and how culturally grounded, embodied approaches may expand prevention science for communities disproportionately impacted by mental health and substance use inequities.

Part 2: Protecting Youth Through Evidence-Based Policy Making and Substance Use Prevention

With Patrick O'Neill, M.A., Doctoral Candidate in Human Development and Family Studies & PAMT Predoctoral Fellow

In this talk, Mr. O'Neill will discuss two lines of research he has worked on during his time as a Prevention and Methodology T32 Pre-doctoral Fellow. First, he will give an overview of his work aimed at understanding the relationship between science and policy, and the role of evidence-based policy in protecting children from child abuse and neglect. Secondly, he will discuss how economic evaluations can be used to understand the value of prevention efforts for preventing youth substance use by highlighting results from recent projects using the PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER) system.  

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