Improving Mental Health Care Access for African Americans through the Affordable Care Act
Closing Racial Disparities Through the Affordable Care Act: Medicaid Expansion, Marketplaces, Federally Qualified Community Health Centers
This project looks at how the Affordable Care Act, including Medicaid expansion and community health centers, has helped African Americans and white individuals get mental health care and reduce differences in access.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11101269 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project explores how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has impacted mental health care for adults, especially African Americans. Researchers are looking at whether extending Medicaid, offering purchase subsidies for health insurance, and increasing community health centers have improved access to mental health services. They will use existing data from national surveys and health agencies to understand if these policies have increased coverage and treatment for people with mild, moderate, or serious mental illness. The goal is to see if these changes have helped close the gap in mental health care between different racial groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research focuses on adults aged 18-64 with mental health conditions who may have been affected by the Affordable Care Act's provisions.
Not a fit: Patients who are not impacted by the Affordable Care Act's provisions or who do not have mental health conditions may not directly benefit from this specific policy analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show how health policies can better support mental health care access and reduce disparities for African Americans and other populations.
How similar studies have performed: While the ACA's overall impact has been studied, this project specifically examines its effects on mental health coverage and disparities for African Americans, which is a less explored area.
Where this research is happening
Berkeley, United States
- University of California Berkeley — Berkeley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Timothy Tyler — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Brown, Timothy Tyler
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.