AURORA, COLO. — Newtown residents who were and continue to be part of the large and loyal following of the former Avielle Foundation will be able to virtually meet the team that is leading its recently relocated and renamed effort at the National Mental Health Innovation Center (NMHIC) at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus.

Those joining the noon hour March 31 Zoom session will also learn about the new projects that endeavor to carry on the work started by Jennifer Hensel and the late Dr Jeremy Richman in honor of their daughter, Avielle, who was among the 20 children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.

As a part of the Avielle Initiative, the NMHIC collaborates with community and technology partners on projects that leverage innovative technology solutions based in science and evidence, according to the organization’s website.

The initiative’s current areas of focus for research and projects are:

Cognitive Behavioral Skills — Childhood and adolescence is a critical time for brain health and development. This area of focus is committed to identifying and supporting scalable solutions that reach diverse adolescent and young adult populations across both urban and rural communities.

Mental Training Practice — There is strong research to support the physical and psychological benefits of mindfulness and meditation. This area of focus is centered on solutions that equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to incorporate mindfulness meditation into everyday life.

Receiving and Giving Support — Peer support is an opportunity for individuals to increase connection and resilience. This area of focus strives to address care access and capacity issues through the use and further development of solutions that connect and support individuals with similar experiences.

Understanding Compassion — Regulating individual emotions and recognizing emotions in others is essential to emotional intelligence. This area of focus concentrates on versatile educational and training solutions that help individuals learn about and promote empathy, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Brain Fund Opportunities

Whether a research study or a quality improvement program, these projects provide researchers, clinicians, organizations, and individuals the opportunity to access and contribute to resources that empower people to improve their wellbeing, build emotional empathy, improve the quality of care, eliminate barriers to support, and create new ways to connect people.

Among those projects is the Jeremy Richman Brain Fund, which was established at the NMHIC to honor the memory of the “inspirational leader, researcher, husband, and father,” who was a neuroscientist by training and believed in the critical role of research to navigate through this public health crisis.

Grants from the fund are used to support students who share Richman’s passion for studying brain science and his belief that “compassion will move us toward healing.”

The Jeremy Richman Brain Fellowship provides a unique and innovative opportunity to learn about the scientific underpinnings of brain health, through neuroscience research, community engagement, and education. Specifically, fellows will have the opportunity to engage in research and evaluation exploring the causes of violence and ways to foster compassion.

This will include the biological and environmental factors involved in the development of violence. Fellows will also explore the protective role of compassion and the importance of empathy in instilling hope. This training will also include communicating research and disseminating information about the evidence-based approaches of brain health to the larger community. These practical skills may involve public speaking, publishing, branding, copywriting, editing, and website design.

The Jeremy Richman Brain Health Internship provides a unique and innovative opportunity to learn about the scientific underpinnings of brain health. Interns will have the opportunity to engage in research and evaluation exploring the causes of violence and ways to foster compassion.

This will include the biological and environmental factors involved in the development of violence. Students will also explore the protective role of compassion and the importance of empathy in instilling hope.

The full-time summer internship at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a highly selective program for juniors or recently graduated high school seniors.

The program propels high school students toward careers in brain health through hands-on experiences and professional development opportunities. Interns will join the NMHIC community of scholars that includes a diverse staff of psychologists, program managers, evaluators, statisticians, and public health professionals.

The goal of this internship is to help students gain experience in a career focused on understanding brain health, specifically the risk factors of violence and understanding the role of compassion.

Register for the March 31 event at ucdenver.zoom.us/webinar/register/wn_ylnqgh9atdeddbqbn2hgww.

Learn more by visiting mentalhealthinnovation.org.