Mental Health

Fear and trauma from COVID-19 infection and deaths, loneliness caused by COVID-19 prevention policies, and disrupted health systems have all caused changes to the mental health of those living throughout California. The effects of the pandemic on mental health are not yet fully understood, particularly within marginalized and/or vulnerable populations who are faced with unique health, social, and economic challenges.

Click here to learn more about this priority research area.

Younger people and women, especially mothers or caregivers, are more likely to experience negative pandemic related mental health outcomes (KFF 2021).
Black and Latinx adults are facing higher levels of mental health challenges and substance use with lower levels of treatment and health care utilization (AHA 2022).
Other marginalized populations may be less likely to report and seek help for mental health challenges, underscoring the potential for widening disparities in care (KFF 2021).

State and national interventions to mitigate some of the pandemic-related consequences on mental health have arisen, but many lack evidence on their mechanism of action and/or effectiveness in modifying mental health outcomes (Safieh 2022, Bonardi 2022). Given California's geographic, socioeconomic, and racial and ethnic diversity, as well as substantial variation in the implementation of policies and programs, there is much to learn.

As such, in early 2023, CPR³ released an RFP calling for research related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, particularly among sub-populations at increased risk such as the elderly, children, people with pre-existing conditions, and communities with underlying social vulnerabilities.

Download Closed Mental Health RFP

Funded Projects

To better understand how the pandemic has affected the mental well-being of diverse groups, as well as to inform potential interventions and solutions tailored to specific communities and groups, CPR³ has funded 8 projects.