Press

June 24, 2024

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HUGHES HOLDEN FOUNDATION GIFT TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TO FUND RESEARCH INTO THE USE OF A.I. TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL

Leveraging latest AI technologies with evidence-based behavioral research to empower non-experts to screen high-risk targets within the most vulnerable communities in the USA

The Hughes Holden Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting initiatives that improve mental healthcare to marginalized and underserved communities in the U.S., is proud to announce a significant gift to Columbia University.

This contribution will support groundbreaking work at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Sciences (‘Columbia Engineering’) in two key areas (‘Research Program’):

i) Applied Research into the design and development of multimodal AI-based screening tools or use by non-experts for early detection of and intervention in high-risk cases.

ii) Applied Research into the psychological impact of loss of mobility in geriatric communities and targeted care.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play an important role in the early detection and triage of higher risk mental health cases, especially among vulnerable populations such as adolescent, immigrant and geriatric communities, so precious limited professional services can be directed to those who need them most.

The funding will provide fellowships for graduate students at Columbia Engineering working with a multi-disciplinary team of faculty, graduate researchers and undergraduates under the stewardship of Dean Shih-Fu Chang and Professor of Biomedical Engineering X. Edward Guo. The Research Program will combine the latest evidence-based behavioral research and methodologies with advanced machine learning, generative AI models and biomedical expertise to develop multimodal decision-support systems so less-qualified clinicians, social workers and counselors in target communities can act as advocates and case managers for early intervention.

Dr. Peter Holden and Mr. Tony Hughes, who established the Foundation in 2023, made the following joint announcement about the gift and selecting Columbia University for this important work:

“While there is much research around the scientific aspect of behavioral health, there is a dearth of practical, in-field solutions which can be used at scale by those best positioned in communities to help with early detection and intervention. We chose Columbia Engineering because of its multidisciplinary, pragmatic approach to designing solutions which can be implemented in the real world for maximum impact”

Shih-Fu Chang, Dean of Columbia Engineering, thanked the Foundation for its support:

“We are extremely grateful for the generosity shown by the Hughes Holden Foundation in bestowing this gift on Columbia. With our shared values of using advanced technology in the service of social goods like physical and mental health, this partnership underscores the critical need for research to support new and innovative methods for improving people’s lives.”

Columbia University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering is also active in the field of ageing and geriatric applied research and the impact of reduced mobility on well-being with a particular focus on osteoporosis. This Department is developing solutions to combat not only the physical and biological aspect of osteoporosis but also, with funding from the Hughes Holden Foundation, its psychological and behavioral impact on mental health and resilience. Very often mobility cases are handled by general practitioners or orthopaedic specialists with little mental health awareness. The Research Program will also explore the efficacy of using AI-driven decision support tools in these situations to screen higher risk candidates early on and refer to behavioral healthcare specialists.

July 18, 2023

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FOUNDATION’S GIFT TO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION

The Hughes Holden Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to bettering the mental health of marginalized communities in the U.S., is proud to announce a substantial donation to Harvard Medical School (HMS). The contribution will provide annual scholarships for students underrepresented in medicine with an interest in mental health care – a step in addressing the pronounced disparities in both access to and quality of mental health services across the nation.

The gift supports two initiatives at HMS: Both its general, need-based financial aid program, and its REACH program, which provides need-based, four-year scholarship funding to a select group of incoming MD students who demonstrate Resilience, Excellence, Achievement, Compassion, and commitment to Helping the underserved. These programs enable the world’s most promising medical students to attend HMS, regardless of their financial means; upon graduation, these students can choose their career paths without the burden of significant debt, enabling them to pursue their passions, take risks, and become leaders and innovators in the field of health care.

The Hughes Holden Foundation, a not-for-profit organization with offices in Newport Beach, CA, and Greenwich, CT, was founded by Mr. Tony Hughes and Dr. Peter Holden, successful tech entrepreneurs with a deep connection and personal interest in mental health. Mr. Hughes and Dr. Holden were inspired by the work at Harvard Medical School and its commitment to make significant contributions to growing the diverse pipeline of clinicians to provide mental health care to underserved communities.

“Mental health is a crucial but often neglected aspect of overall health, especially among minority and marginalized communities faced with numerous obstacles in accessing quality care,” said Hughes and Holden in a joint statement. “Our mission is to attract and nurture greater diversity within mental health education and professional training leading to a new generation of leaders and advocates best suited to serve their communities. Supporting HMS in this worthwhile endeavor is a tremendous honor.”

Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, the donation will establish both the Hughes Holden Scholarship Fund and the Hughes Holden REACH Scholarship Fund at Harvard Medical School, providing financial aid to students pursuing MDs. HMS will award these need-based scholarships to students with an academic interest in psychiatry or mental health, continuing the Hughes Holden Foundation’s enduring commitment to supporting minorities and underserved communities across the USA. In partnership with HMS, the scholarships may cover tuition, fees, living expenses. Recipients will have access to mentorship, networking, and research opportunities from the Foundation’s Advisory Board made up of nationally recognized practitioners and thought leaders in mental health innovation. “We are immensely grateful to the Hughes Holden Foundation for their generous and visionary support,” said Edward Hundert, Dean for Medical Education at Harvard Medical School. “This donation bolsters HMS’s commitment to attracting diverse and talented students with an interest in psychiatry, supporting future healers and leaders in the mental health field.”

According to the American Psychiatric Association, there is a dire shortage of psychiatrists in the United States. Only 6% of psychiatrists identify as Black or African American, 5% as Hispanic or Latino, 12% as Asian, and less than 1% as American Indian. Moreover, only about 3% of medical students choose psychiatry as their specialty. The Hughes Holden Foundation hopes that its donation will help address this gap by increasing the number of minority physicians who pursue careers in mental health policy and practice.

The commitment to HMS is part of a larger initiative by the Foundation to tackle the mental health crisis in the U.S. The Foundation plans to fund the establishment of multiple minority-owned and managed Psychiatric Urgent Care Centers in underprivileged communities across the nation, beginning in California and expanding to other regions.

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Hughes Holden Foundation
4590 MacArthur Boulevard, 5th Floor, Newport Beach, California, CA 92660, USA