Education
PhD, Southern Illinois University, 2005
MA, Southern Illinois University, 2002
BA, Johns Hopkins University, 1995
Overview
Mary F. Cwik, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist and an Associate Scientist at the Center for American Indian Health in the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She has a joint appointment in Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Cwik has conducted research in suicide, substance use and trauma, focusing on preventing Native American mental health disparities for the past 10 years. Dr. Cwik’s research, in collaboration with the White Mountain Apache Tribe, has helped to identify unique risk factors impacting these disparities, the importance of protective factors including cultural identity, and promising interventions associated with a reduction in the Apache suicide rate. Mary has expertise in community academic partnerships, developing mental health interventions for different cultural contexts, training community mental health specialists, screening, surveillance (Apache model recognized by SAMHSA, Indian Health Service/IHS and the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry), mixed methods designs, RCTs, and Emergency Department settings. Dr. Cwik has received two teaching excellence citations and serves on the APA Committee on Human Research, Suicide Prevention Resource Center steering committee, and Zero Suicide National Implementation Team for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Dr. Cwik’s current projects include: NIMH grant - “Protecting Native Families from COVID-19” (co-PI), NIH/NIMH grant – “Diversity Supplement: Southwest Hub for American Indian Youth Suicide Prevention Research” (co-PI), SAMHSA grant – “Celebrating Life: GLS State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention, Wa'Kan Ye'Zah: Enhancing caregivers' and children's well-being through an evidence-based and culturally informed prevention intervention”(co-PI), National Institute of General Medical Sciences/Indian Health Service grant - “Trauma-Informed Assessment and Treatment: Feasibility of a Common Elements Intervention to Decrease Apache Substance Use and Suicide” (co-PI), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant - “Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Southwest Hub Youth Suicide Prevention Interventions” (co-PI), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant - “Southwest Hub for American Indian Youth Suicide Prevention Research.” (co-PI), Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant - Cherokee Nation SAMHSA Zero Suicide Project.” (co-PI)
Honors and Awards
Governor’s Citation Suicide Prevention in Maryland, 2008; Doctoral Fellowship, 2002-2004; Masters Fellowship, 2001-2002; Polish Heritage Scholarship, 1999-2000; Morris Goldseker Scholarship, 1999-2000; Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society; Golden Key National Honor Society; Phi Beta Kappa Society