Mental Health
The national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports approximately 28% of U.S. adults has any form of mental illness (2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health), yet only 54% of those with illness actually receive services. Homeless adults are disproportionately affected in comparison to the general population, with approximately 67% having any mental health disorder.
The College of Health Science’s strong partnership with the Opportunity Center for the Homeless, a local not-for-profit agency offering emergency shelter services, allows students to gain practical experience as interns and prepares them for a career serving vulnerable individuals. UTEP’s location on the U.S.-Mexico border presents an additional, unique opportunity for faculty and students to study mental health among migrants to the United States, as well as culturally-related coping mechanisms.
Faculty in the College of Health Sciences investigating mental health are contributing to the body of literature in this area, and have a variety of specializations, including social work practice; coping; disparities in mental health care; spiritual well-being; and quality of life and well-being among special populations, including caregivers, cancer survivors, and individuals with disabilities.
CHS Leaders in Mental Health
Dr. Jeannie Concha
Associate Professor of Public Health
jeannie@utep.edu
Specialization: Mental health and coping
Dr. Cecilia Fierro
Clinical Assoc. Professor of Occupational Therapy
cfierro6@utep.edu
Specialization: Quality of life and caregiver burden
Dr. Bruce Friedman
Professor of Social Work
bdfriedman@utep.edu
Specialization: Spirituality; substance abuse
Dr. Hyejin Jung
Associate Professor of Social Work
hjung2@utep.edu
Specialization: Disparities in mental health care; mental health literacy and education; mental health in subsidized housing
Dr. Beatrice Lee
Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences
Director, NDSM Lab
ylee6@utep.edu
Specialization: Identification of malleable risk and protective factors assisting people with disabilities to deal more effectively with stress; promotion of mental health and well-being in individuals with neurological disorders
Dr. Jason Mallonee
Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
jrmallonee@utep.edu
Specialization: Recovery-oriented practice; serious mental health conditions; client engagement; the therapeutic relationship
Dr. Viridiana Ortiz
Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
vortiz19@utep.edu
Specialization: Generational trauma; Hispanic mental health; culturally oriented mental health practices; interdisciplinary approaches
Dr. Yok-Fong Paat
Professor of Social Work
ypaat@utep.edu
Specialization: Family health; health behavior; mental health; child well-being; social integration; altruism
Dr. Emre Umucu
Associate Professor of Public Health, Associate Dean for Research
Director, CHS REACHED
eumucu@utep.edu
Specialization: Combat exposure and traumatic experiences among veterans; interdisciplinary mental health, substance use, and addiction research and policy implications; positive psychology approaches in health, counseling, and psychology
Dr. Carolina Valencia
Director, Bachelor of Rehabilitation Sciences Program
Director, Experimental Pain Research Laboratory
cvalencia4@utep.edu
Specialization: Role of biopsychosocial factors in chronic pain and pain disparities
Dr. Cynthia Wittenburg
Assistant Professor, Public Health Sciences
cwittenburg@utep.edu
Specialization: Pediatric and adult cancer survivorship; quality of life in cancer survivors
