Leopoldo J. Cabassa, MSW, PhD

Washington University in St. Louis (WU)

Dr. Leopoldo J. Cabassa research blends quantitative and qualitative methods, implementation science, intervention research and community engagement to examine health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities with serious mental illness (SMI; e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). He recently completed a career development award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) focusing on implementing health care interventions for Hispanics with SMI and is currently leading an R01 (also from NIMH) testing the effectiveness and examining the implementation of a peer-led healthy lifestyle intervention (Peer GLB) in supportive housing agencies serving diverse clients with SMI who are overweight or obese. Dr. Cabassa’s work is 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.