Global Child Mental Health Symposium

Speaker: Opening Remarks

Seth Himelhoch, MD, MPH, Lowell T. Coggeshall Professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, and a professor at the Neuroscience Institute. A psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and public health researcher, his work integrates neuroscience, clinical psychiatry, and population health to develop and implement evidence-based interventions for individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.

Dr. Himelhoch is particularly recognized for advancing smoking cessation interventions among people living with HIV/AIDS and for his contributions to global mental health, with a broader commitment to improving outcomes in underserved populations worldwide.

Keynote Speaker: "Advancing Early Detection and Prevention in Youth Mental Health: Translating Brain Science for Global Impact"

Vijay A. Mittal, PhD, David S. Holmes Professor of Brain Science, Chair of the Department of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being, Northwestern University; Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine leads large multi-site studies across the United States and collaborates internationally to develop scalable approaches for early detection and intervention in youth mental health, including novel screening tools, biomarkers, and early intervention strategies to improve outcomes for young people. Professor Mittal's NIH-funded research focuses on the early identification, neurodevelopmental mechanisms, and prevention of serious mental illness, particularly psychosis risk, in adolescents and young adults. 

Research Presentation I: “From Evidence to Scale: The Cost-Effectiveness of Asset-based Economic Empowerment Interventions for Child Development and Mental Health.” 

Fred Ssewamala, PhD, MSW, Constance and Martin Silver Professor of Poverty Studies, NYU Silver School of Social Work; Faculty Director, McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, is known for innovative, interdisciplinary research aimed at improving outcomes for youth affected by economic hardship and health disparities in low-resource communities. He is the founder of the International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD) and the SMART Africa Center, which focus on reducing financial instability and improving health outcomes for children, adolescents, and families in low-resource communities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions.

Professor Ssewamala currently leads multiple large-scale, NIH-funded longitudinal randomized controlled trials across sub-Saharan Africa and has directed numerous NIH-supported training and capacity-building initiatives to develop the next generation of global child health and mental health researchers.

Research Presentation II: “The Enabling Infrastructure: Sustainable Child Mental Health Systems, Training Networks, and Research Ethics."

Kerim M. Munir, MD, DSc, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Boston Children’s Hospital, Division of Developmental Medicine, Developmental Medicine Center, is a physician-scientist specializing in developmental psychopathology, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. At Boston Children’s Hospital, he serves as Director of Psychiatry within the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program.

Dr. Munir's research focuses on the determinants of neurodevelopmental disorders and on strengthening systems of care for children with developmental disabilities worldwide. He has led extensive international research training and capacity-building initiatives, including NIH Fogarty D43 programs, supporting early-career researchers and clinicians across Central Asia, Turkey, the Caucasus, and the Middle East to advance research and clinical expertise in child mental health and developmental disabilities.

Research Presentation III: “Clean Air, Healthy Minds: Household Air Pollution and Child Cognitive Development in Nigeria."

Christopher Sola Olopade, MD, MPH, Director of International Programs, Professor, Departments of Family Medicine and Medicine, University of Chicago, is a pulmonologist and global health researcher whose work examines environmental and genetic determinants of respiratory disease. His NIH-supported research focuses on asthma, household air pollution, and respiratory health disparities. Dr. Sola Olopade leads collaborative studies in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa investigating how environmental exposures, particularly household air pollution, affect respiratory health and children's cognitive and neurodevelopmental outcomes. His work integrates environmental health, clinical medicine, and global partnerships to improve respiratory and developmental health among children in low-resource settings and underserved communities in Chicago.

Research Presentation IV: “Mental Health Starts at Home: Investing in Family and Economic Stability for Child Wellbeing.” 

Leyla Ismayilova, PhD, Associate Professor, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, University of Chicago, does research on developing and evaluating family- and community-based interventions to improve child mental health and wellbeing in low- and middle-income countries. Her work integrates economic strengthening, family support, and mental health strategies to address structural determinants of child development.

Supported by multiple NIH-funded studies, Professor Ismayilova leads international randomized trials and implementation research examining scalable family- and economic-based interventions to improve child mental health, cognitive development, and family wellbeing. Her research is conducted primarily in Azerbaijan and Central Asia and emphasizes translating evidence into sustainable programs and policies that strengthen families and improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

Panel Moderator: Translating Global Evidence into Practice

Seeba Anam, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago and a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. Her clinical work focuses on diagnosing and treating pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Dr. Anam’s research examines how cultural factors shape the presentation of internalizing and externalizing disorders in children and adolescents. She also explores the role of narrative medicine in strengthening patient–clinician relationships and improving mental health outcomes in diverse communities.

Panelist: Translating Global Evidence into Practice

Dr. Narmin Guliyeva,  Assistant Professor of Child Psychiatry, Azerbaijan Medical University. She has nearly two decades of experience working in mental health services in various roles in Azerbaijan. She has collaborated with local government agencies and major international organizations on mental health research projects, including studies funded by the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Guliyeva specializes in the treatment of child and adolescent depression, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit disorders. She holds an MD from Azerbaijan Medical University and completed a postgraduate fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital in Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Panelist: Translating Global Evidence into Practice

Dr. Shirin Kazimov, Clinical Psychologist and Supervisor, Mental Health Clinic, Azerbaijan. Dr. Kazimov specializes in working with adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. He currently practices in Chicago, Illinois. Before beginning his career as a psychologist, Dr. Kazimov worked as an anesthesiologist and intensive care specialist in Azerbaijan and collaborated with the Azerbaijani healthcare system to improve maternal and child health, combat tuberculosis, reform primary and emergency care, and develop evidence-based clinical guidelines.

Dr. Kazimov is actively engaged in mental health research, including serving as a clinical consultant for two NIH-funded clinical trials examining mental health interventions for children in Azerbaijan. He holds a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College, a Master of Public Health from Tulane University, and an MD from Azerbaijan Medical University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Austen Riggs Center in Massachusetts.

Panelist: Translating Global Evidence into Practice

Anar Valiyev, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Public and International Affairs at ADA University in Baku, Azerbaijan. He previously served as the Jean Monnet Chair of European Studies from 2020 to 2023. He has 20 years of experience in urban development, public policy, and policy analysis, with an emphasis on smart cities and post-socialist development.

Professor Valiyev frequently works as a consultant for the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and other agencies. His areas of expertise include public policy in post-Soviet republics, democracy, and governance. He holds a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University Bloomington and a PhD in Public and Urban Affairs from the University of Louisville.