County of Riverside – Riverside University Health System (RUHS-BH): African American Community Engagement Qualitative Questionnaire Mental Health Program

The Riverside County African American Mental Health Research Project is a community-driven initiative designed to examine the unique mental health challenges faced by Black and African American residents throughout Riverside County. Rooted in culturally informed research methodologies, the project seeks to identify systemic barriers, lived experiences, and underrepresented narratives that have long been excluded from mainstream mental health discourse. Through qualitative questionnaires, focus groups, and community dialogues — conducted in partnership with the Riverside University Health System (RUHS-BH) — the project gathers firsthand data directly from community members to ensure that research findings reflect authentic community voices.

The study explores a broad spectrum of mental health topics including intergenerational trauma, racial stress, grief, identity, and access to care, with particular attention to how historical and social inequities shape psychological well-being. All data collected is analyzed through a culturally competent lens, with the goal of producing evidence-based recommendations that can be applied at both the clinical and policy level. Findings from this research will serve as the foundational framework for the development of a dedicated wellness center designed to provide culturally responsive trauma support, mental health services, and community healing programs for Black and African American individuals and families. Ultimately, this project represents a commitment to centering Black mental health as a public health priority — transforming community insight into lasting, structural change.

Mental Health in Uganda: Creating Safe Spaces for Ugandan Youth (2027)

Uganda is experiencing a profound and largely unaddressed mental health crisis, with the World Health Organization estimating that over 14 million Ugandans suffer from a mental health condition — yet the country has fewer than 60 psychiatrists serving a population of more than 48 million people. For Ugandan youth, the situation is particularly dire, as young people face compounding stressors including poverty, displacement, political instability, and the lasting psychological effects of conflict and community violence, all with virtually no access to culturally appropriate mental health resources or safe spaces for healing. The absence of structured support systems has left an entire generation navigating trauma, anxiety, and identity in silence, without the tools or community frameworks needed to process their experiences. Recognizing this urgent gap, The Lyfe Network has partnered with Mtindo Network and MUG Foundation — two organizations deeply embedded in Ugandan communities — to conduct on-the-ground research that centers the voices and lived realities of Ugandan youth.

Together, the partnership is actively gathering qualitative and quantitative data on the mental health landscape, identifying the cultural, economic, and structural factors that prevent young people from accessing care and community support. Using these findings, the collaborative effort is working to design and establish safe spaces — physical and virtual environments where Ugandan youth can gather, share, receive mentorship, and access mental health programming that is both culturally grounded and trauma-informed. This initiative represents a long-term commitment to building sustainable mental wellness infrastructure in Uganda, ensuring that young people have the support, resources, and community connections necessary to heal, grow, and thrive.