Kelly Sanchez, LMSW, MPH
Kelly Sanchez’s research is grounded in a deep commitment to advancing behavioral health equity for historically underserved communities, particularly Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), monolingual Latinx individuals, immigrants, and undocumented populations. Her work explores how structural, cultural, and systemic barriers affect access to and engagement with behavioral health services. She is particularly interested in identifying actionable solutions that reduce disparities in care utilization and improve health outcomes across these groups.
Kelly’s research background is interdisciplinary and community-informed, with experience spanning developmental neuroscience, telehealth evaluation, and public health initiatives. Her early work at the National Institutes of Health focused on developmental trajectories of brain and behavior in children with ADHD, providing a foundation in rigorous research methods and ethical clinical practices. More recently, she has contributed to telehealth evaluation projects at UConn Health and coordinated public health research in Samoa and American Samoa through her work at Yale University. Across these settings, Kelly has consistently centered her work on health systems improvement, equity, and community voice.
Her research interests lie in outcomes and evaluation research, particularly within state-funded and nonprofit behavioral health programs. She is passionate about using qualitative methods—such as interviews and focus groups—to elevate the perspectives of community members, clinicians, and other key stakeholders. She also values the insight provided by quantitative and administrative data, particularly when used in tandem with qualitative findings through mixed-methods approaches. Her goal is to translate research into meaningful recommendations that inform policy, improve service delivery, and ultimately benefit both individuals and communities.
Kelly is especially interested in projects that explore how social identity, language, immigration status, and systemic racism intersect to influence behavioral health access and care experiences. She envisions working collaboratively with community organizations, health systems, and policymakers to generate research that drives change and advances equity at scale.
MSW:
University of Connecticut – Hartford, CT
Research Interests:
Behavioral health access and outcomes
BIPOC, Latinx, immigrant, and undocumented populations
Utilization of qualitative and mixed-methods research
Emphasis on evaluation of public and nonprofit programs
