Principal Investigators: Daryn Reicherter, MD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and David Cohen, PhD, JD, Classics, Center for Human Rights and International Justice

Research Team: Lisa Brown, PhD, ABPP, Palo Alto University, Stanford School of Medicine; Ryan Matlow, PhD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Dr. Nenna Ndukwe, United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability Against Da’esh/ISIL Crimes; Jessie Brunner, MA, Center for Human Rights and International Justice

Funders: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Innovation in Global Health

The mental health of survivors of war crimes and crimes against humanity is often neglected throughout the transitional justice process. The Stanford Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health Program is working to change this by demonstrating the effectiveness of a trauma-informed approach to war crimes investigations. This seed grant will support their efforts to assess the efficacy of a trauma-informed training and mentorship partnership with specific United Nations Investigative mechanisms.

“The work toward bringing mental health opportunities to survivors of human rights violations is the essence of what I hope to accomplish professionally,” said Primary Investigator Dr. Daryn Reicherter. “This research can demonstrate whether our approach is efficacious or not. If a trauma-informed approach to investigations can influence the legal mechanisms’ views on survivor mental health, then our consultation will ultimately lead to real resources for survivor mental health globally.”

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