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Emory Rollins School of Public Health
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Rachel  Waford

Asst Professor

Assistant Professor

Faculty, Global Health

I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Georgia and joined the GH faculty in 2014. My clinical research interests include prevention, early identification, and early intervention for severe mental illness in vulnerable and marginalized communities, cross-cultural research methods, and mental health advocacy and education. I am also interested in factors that impact treatment seeking and treatment engagement behaviors, and identifying and implementing community-based approaches that increase access to care.

In addition to my clinical research work, I am also a clinical practitioner. I specialize in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and oversee psychotherapy and program development for the Clinical and Research Program for Psychosis at Grady. I am also a consulting psychologist for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA)'s Early Psychosis Program.

Joining the faculty at RSPH has also introduced other rewarding opportunities such as providing volunteer psychological evaluations for the Atlanta Asylum Network and facilitating a broader mental health community within the GH department.  

Additional resources below:

TEDx Decatur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5amruBXrqOE

The Psychosis Response Guide: How to help young people in psychiatric crises: http://www.springerpub.com/the-psychosis-response-guide.html

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Contact Information

1518 Clifton Road Ne

Atlanta , GA 30322

1518-002-7BB

Phone: 270-303-6973

Email: rwaford@emory.edu

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Areas of Interest

  • Behavior and Health
  • Community Based Research
  • Community Health & Development
  • Global Health
  • Mental Health

Education

  • PhD 2013, University of Louisville
  • Pre-doctoral Internship 2012, Harvard Medical School
  • Post-doctoral fellowship 2014, Emory University School of Medicine/Grady Health System

Courses Taught

  • GH 500: Critical Issues in Glob.Health

Affiliations & Activities

Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

The International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis

Association for Contextual and Behavioral Science

American Psychological Association

Georgia Psychologial Association

Atlanta Asylum Network

Board of Directors, Community Friendship, INC.

Adolescent Advisory Council, Skyland Trail

Publications and Social Media