Tina Mensa-Kwao on partnering with youth to improve their mental health care
Tina Mensa-Kwao is a firm believer in the principle, “nothing about us without us” because she recognizes the importance of community members as essential collaborators in improving the quality of mental health services in a community, particularly for underserved youth.
“Issues of mental health are prevalent in communities of color and those living in resource-limited settings, thus working with communities to address these gaps is critical,” says Mensa-Kwao. “I aim to prioritize the inclusion of youth as partners in research, interventions, implementation and policy development surrounding their mental health care.”
Mensa-Kwao is a doctoral student in the Global Health Implementation Science & Metrics program at the University of Washington School of Public Health, where she focuses on understanding how to enhance the implementation of evidence-based practices to improve the mental health of young people globally. In this Q&A, she shares why she’s passionate about global health, her research efforts and its potential impact, her future goals as a professional, and advice for new students.
Why did you decide to come to the University of Washington for graduate school?
As a nexus for intervention design, evaluation, and global health, the Implementation Science (IS) doctoral program at the UW is uniquely suited to equip me with the necessary tools for critically analyzing health systems and scaling up effective evidence-based multilevel interventions in low- and middle-income countries. The IS program aligns with my training in behavioral science and my passion for health system strengthening while improving access to mental health care in underserved communities.
The UW also has extraordinary professors working on global mental health projects, community-engaged global health research, training opportunities and resources like those offered by the Consortium for Global Mental Health, Implementation Science Resource Hub, and the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH). My professional goal is to serve as a global health leader working with low-resourced communities to advance mental health care at both local and international stages.
Why did you decide to come to the University of Washington for graduate school?
As a nexus for intervention design, evaluation, and global health, the Implementation Science (IS) doctoral program at the UW is uniquely suited to equip me with the necessary tools for critically analyzing health systems and scaling up effective evidence-based multilevel interventions in low- and middle-income countries. The IS program aligns with my training in behavioral science and my passion for health system strengthening while improving access to mental health care in underserved communities.
The UW also has extraordinary professors working on global mental health projects, community-engaged global health research, training opportunities and resources like those offered by the Consortium for Global Mental Health, Implementation Science Resource Hub, and the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH). My professional goal is to serve as a global health leader working with low-resourced communities to advance mental health care at both local and international stages.