Julia Knopes, research associate and adjunct instructor in the Department of Bioethics, was recently recognized by the Greenwall Foundation with its Making a Difference grant. The $123,059 grant will fund Knopes’ research proposal, “Peers in mental health: Role boundaries and ethics.”
Knopes’ research aims to explore areas of mental health and neuroscience and the complexities of the clinician-patient relationship. Knopes and her team will perform qualitative research to examine how “peers” (people with mental illness who provide services to fellow individuals in recovery) balance their own mental health needs with those of the individuals they serve. Knopes’ peer research will inform medical professionals on the ethical issues that may arise when peers lead support programs and facilitate updated peer training programs for mental health organizations in Northeast Ohio.