Tara Leytham Powell, PhD

 

I am committed to supporting disaster-affected individuals, families, and communities.  My hope is that all people affected by collective traumas have the necessary tangible, emotional, and institutional support to recover from these events. To do that, I partner with schools, non-profits, and community-based organizations to develop and test interventions designed to increase protective factors (e.g., social support, healthy coping) and reduce risk for those impacted by all forms of humanitarian crises.
Education


BA – University of Iowa
MSW and MPH – Tulane University
PhD in Social Work – University of Texas, Austin
Peace Corps volunteer – Mali, West Africa




Research

Dr. Tara Powell is a researcher and advocate for behavioral health interventions in disaster-affected communities. With a dual master’s in social work and public health from Tulane University and a PhD from the University of Texas, she explores the impact of behavioral health interventions in the US and abroad.
Drawing from her experience living in and working with disaster-affected communities, Dr. Powell has actively collaborated with local communities and global humanitarian organizations to develop, research, and distribute behavioral health interventions for individuals, families, and communities affected by collective traumas. Following Hurricane Katrina, she co-developed the "Journey of Hope" intervention with Save the Children, which has since been adopted as one of the organization's hallmark programs, reaching over 80,000 children worldwide.  Her experience spans a range of contexts, from communities impacted by conflicts like the Syrian Crisis to those who have experienced pandemics and climate-induced disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
Dr. Powell is currently the principal investigator of a multi-state randomized control trial to examine the impact and implementation of the Journey of Hope intervention (1R01MH131248).  Dr. Powell is also a co-investigator on the “Reducing Disparities in Disaster-Related Mental Health Burden” study that uses a community-based participatory research approach to adapt and test the efficacy of a community-based mental health intervention in the Gulf Coast (NASEM 2000013444; PI: Jennifer Scott).
Selected Publications
Powell, T., Qushua, N.(2023). A community-based mental health intervention to improve well-being among Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan: A qualitative analysis.  International Journal of Social Psychiatry. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221074808
Powell, T., Scott, J., Yuma, P., Hsaio, Y. (2022). Surviving the Storm: Intervening to reduce psychological distress for health and social care providers post-disaster. Health and Social Care in the Community. DOI: 10.1111/hsc.14059
Powell, T., Wegmann, K., Backode, E. (2021). Coping and Post-Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents After an Acute Onset Disaster: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Public Health.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094865
Powell, T., Li, S.J., Hsiao, Y., Thompson, M., Farraj, A., Abdoh, M., Rarraj, R. (2021). An integrated physical and mental health awareness education intervention to reduce non-communicable diseases among Syrian refugees and Jordanians in host communities: A natural experiment study. Preventive Medicine Reports. 21, 101310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101310
Powell, T., Wegmann, K., & Shin, O.J. (2019). Stress and coping in frontline mental health providers after Superstorm Sandy:  An examination of a post-disaster psycho-educational intervention. 25(2), 96 Traumatology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/trm0000189
Powell, T., Davis, J. (2018). Addressing the social emotional needs of children in chronic poverty: A pilot of the Journey of Hope. Children and Youth Services Review. 98, 319-327. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.11.010
Powell, T. & Bui, T. (2016).  Supporting social and emotional skills after a disaster:  Findings from a mixed methods study.  School Mental Health 8 (1) 106-119.