Leopold Cabassa, PhD, MSW

Co-Director, Center for Mental Health Services, Washington University St. Louis

Dr. Leo J. Cabassa’s dedication and passion for engaging in health disparities research has been shaped by his social work practice and research experiences in Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland. His work focuses on improving health and mental health care for underserved communities. His research centers on examining physical and mental health disparities, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities with serious mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression). His research blends quantitative and qualitative methods, community engagement, intervention research and, more recently, implementation science. Dr. Cabassa’s findings are making significant contributions in improving depression literacy and reducing stigma towards mental illness in the Hispanic community, identifying and understanding racial/ethnic health disparities in people with serious mental illness, and examining the adaptation and implementation of health interventions aimed at reducing these health inequities.

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