2022 Scientific Research Award
NAMI is pleased to announce that Christine Yu Moutier, M.D., will receive the NAMI 2022 Scientific Research Award for her tireless work in the mental health field at the Inspiring Hope Through Research event on Oct. 12, 2022.
About the Honoree
Christine Yu Moutier, M.D. became the Chief Medical Officer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in fall 2013. After her own lived experience and losing colleagues to suicide, she dedicated herself to fighting this leading cause of death. Previously, she was on the faculty and served as an assistant dean for student affairs and medical education at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. As co-founder of the San Diego Chapter of AFSP in 2007, she launched the Interactive Screening Program, (AFSP’s signature intervention program for those at risk for suicide), for the UCSD health science community comprised of 2,500 faculty, residents and students.
Since earning her medical degree and training in psychiatry at UCSD, she has been a practicing psychiatrist, professor of psychiatry, and medical director of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at the VA Medical Center in La Jolla, CA, treating diverse patient populations. Throughout her career, Dr. Moutier has focused on training health care leaders, physicians, and patient groups in order to change the culture surrounding mental health, fighting stigma and optimizing care for those with mental health conditions.
In addition to overseeing the research grant program of AFSP, one of the largest private funders of suicide and prevention research globally, Dr. Moutier is known for translating scientific research into practice for clinical and community-based applications used in programs and treatments. She has been involved over the years with numerous research grants and studies, including serving as co-investigator for the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression study (STAR*D), a large National Institute of Mental Health trial on the treatment of refractory depression.
At AFSP, she has been tirelessly advocating for culture change at the national level briefing Congressional committees, educating major media outlets and making the most of every opportunity to represent the science and those with lived experience. She remains dedicated to the vision of a world without suicide.
About the Award
The NAMI Scientific Research Award is supported by the Peter Corbin Kohn Endowment. The Award recognizes the work of researchers who move our scientific understanding and treatment of mental illness forward. We hope you will join us to pay tribute to our honorees and recognize their outstanding contributions and achievements.