{"id":53519,"date":"2025-07-31T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/?p=53519"},"modified":"2025-08-19T10:02:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T15:02:58","slug":"grant-to-allow-tarleton-state-key-partners-to-strengthen-rural-mental-health-in-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/grant-to-allow-tarleton-state-key-partners-to-strengthen-rural-mental-health-in-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Grant To Allow Tarleton State, Key Partners To Strengthen Rural Mental Health in Region"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

STEPHENVILLE, Texas \u2014 Tarleton State University Medical Laboratory Sciences, Public Health and Nutrition Sciences Associate Professor Dr. Subi Gandhi has received a $100,000 Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to support the advancement of the Rural Mental Health Network (RMHN).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Subi Gandhi<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The RMHN is a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen mental health infrastructure in Brown, Comanche and Erath counties.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSecuring this grant to establish the network is crucial for collaboratively enhancing the capacity of our rural and agricultural communities,\u201d said Associate Vice President and Executive Dean of the College of Health Sciences Dr. Ramona Ann Parker. \u201cI am eager to observe the impact of this project. This grant award recognizes Dr. Gandhi\u2019s commitment and dedication, especially in addressing the mental health needs of rural and agricultural communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By uniting key partners \u2014 Tarleton State University, Comanche County Medical Center, Accel Health and the Center for Life Resources \u2014 the RMHN aims to build a sustainable, community-driven framework that enhances collaboration, streamlines service delivery and expands access to essential mental health services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis award represents a transformative opportunity for Tarleton State University\u2019s College of Health Sciences and our regional partners to address longstanding mental health challenges in rural Texas,\u201d said Dr. Gandhi. \u201cThrough the development of a sustainable, community-driven network, we aim to strengthen access to care and support healthier, more connected communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am honored to lead this initiative and deeply grateful for the support from the college leadership, Dr. Parker and Dr. Ryou. I look forward to working with our talented team, including Dr. Cecilia Marrugo-Puello \u2014 a valued faculty member from Tarleton State University \u2014 as we move this important work forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This planning grant differs from a traditional research grant in that its primary goal is to aid in building infrastructure, partnerships and strategic direction rather than generating new scientific discovery. The funds awarded for the development of the RMHN will be used to lay the foundation for this network and create a long-term lasting impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRural communities face persistent barriers to mental health care, including limited access and fragmented services,\u201d said Associate Professor and Interim Dean of the School of Health and Clinical Professions Dr. Myong-gwi Ryou. \u201cThis grant reflects the power of collaboration and the commitment of faculty like Dr. Gandhi to address these disparities. Her efforts to strengthen mental health infrastructure will make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families across our rural communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the work that this network will provide includes developing a comprehensive structure, conducting community needs assessments, facilitating stakeholder engagement sessions, establishing a formalized governance structure and creating a roadmap for implementing integrated mental health services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative is guided by the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, leveraging their expertise in collective impact models.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

STEPHENVILLE, Texas \u2014 Tarleton State University Medical Laboratory Sciences, Public Health and Nutrition Sciences Associate Professor Dr. Subi Gandhi has received a $100,000 Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant from …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":725,"featured_media":53521,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","wds_primary_category":382,"footnotes":""},"categories":[382,422,423,427],"tags":[439,445,456],"class_list":["post-53519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homepage","category-morestories","category-academics-research","category-science-health","tag-division-of-health-sciences","tag-division-of-research-innovation-and-economic-development","tag-stephenville"],"acf":{"image":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"rjohnson1","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/author\/rjohnson1\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2025\/07\/289-300x200.png","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["_Homepage<\/a>","_morestories<\/a>","Academics & Research<\/a>","Science & Health<\/a>"],"unlinked":["_Homepage<\/span>","_morestories<\/span>","Academics & Research<\/span>","Science & Health<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Division of Health Sciences<\/a>","Division of Research, Innovation and Economic Development<\/a>","Stephenville<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Division of Health Sciences<\/span>","Division of Research, Innovation and Economic Development<\/span>","Stephenville<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":0,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 9 months ago","modified":"Updated 8 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on July 31, 2025","modified":"Updated on August 19, 2025"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on July 31, 2025 8:00 am","modified":"Updated on August 19, 2025 10:02 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/725"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53519"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53519\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53528,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53519\/revisions\/53528"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}