American Psychological Foundation Announces Inaugural Recipient of Direct Action Visionary Grant

APF Direct Action supports psychologists and community organizations to provide evidence-based psychological interventions to communities in need of care

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Psychological Foundation (APF), a grantmaking organization that supports psychologists and service organizations, is announcing Kiara Álvarez, PhD, Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health, Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as the inaugural recipient of the APF Direct Action Visionary Grant. This program funds evidence-based psychological interventions to support issues and community advocacy by engaging with community organizations at both grassroots and national levels.

The funded project, "Enhancing Mental Health Support for Latine Families Facing Immigration Stress," utilizes a developed and tested intervention delivered in Spanish by community health workers to Latine caregivers of youth with suicidal ideation and/or behavior. With funding from APF, Dr. Álvarez and her team will work to enhance the intervention and expand education materials and training to address the impact of immigration-related stress.

"Our team is focused on implementing approaches to support caregivers of youth with suicidal ideation and behavior, in collaboration with community resources and health systems, with the overarching goal of preventing youth suicide," said Dr. Álvarez. "The APF Direct Action Visionary Grant gives us the opportunity to innovate by making rapid-cycle improvements to our program in order to address the pressing needs shared by families facing multiple, complex stressors."

The project will be implemented in a "new immigrant destination" for Latine immigrants primarily from Central America and Mexico. New destination status is often associated with less positive healthcare outcomes, greater unmet need for medical care, and lower satisfaction with care for immigrant Latine patients. This work aims to alleviate these outcomes by reducing barriers to care.

Speaking of the importance of funding work like that of Dr. Álvarez, APF CEO Dr. Michelle Quist Ryder said, "So many communities are in a state of acute crisis right now, and psychology has the tools to help. Supporting such vital work is central in APF's funding priorities and encapsulates the aim of our Direct Action initiative."

Additional recipients of the APF Direct Action Visionary Grant will be selected in late 2025. Details on Direct Action and other initiatives can be found at ampsychfdn.org/directaction.

About the American Psychological Foundation
The American Psychological Foundation (APF) is a grantmaking organization that supports psychologists and service organizations that are using psychology to create a better, more equitable world. Since its founding in 1953, APF has cultivated a portfolio of 80+ programs that disburse over $2 million annually in research and academic funding, implementation science, achievement awards, travel scholarships and non-research project funding. The Foundation is committed to investing in programs that serve marginalized communities, prevent violence, end prejudice and stigma and address mind-body-health connections in new and innovative ways. For more information, please visit www.ampsychfdn.org.

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SOURCE American Psychological Foundation