December 14th marks 12 years since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. At the Brain and Behavior Innovation Center (BBICEN) at the Department of Psychiatry, in collaboration with the Avielle Initiative and the Jeremy Richman Brain Health Research Endowed Fellowship Fund, we honor the lives lost and reaffirm our commitment to work together to develop and implement science-driven solutions to promote brain health, create compassion and ultimately reduce violence. The Avielle Initiative aims to improve clinical care quality, build empathy, and empower people to improve their own well-being through technology and innovation. The Jeremy Richman Brain Fund supports impactful research, community engagement, and educational efforts to address the root causes of violence in partnership with the Avielle Initiative.

Highlights from the Past Year The Avielle Initiative Seed Grant for Brain Health Research and Innovation supports cutting-edge brain health research across all stages of the translational science spectrum that will further Avielle’s legacy. The 2024 seed grant supported two projects:

• Dr. Jacob Holzman’s parenting project conducted research aiming to improve parenting strategies for those with executive functioning challenges. Over the past year, Dr. Holzman and his team developed and tested scalable, telehealth-based interventions to enhance parental engagement and child well-being in partnership with Denver Great Kids Head Start program. Nine parents and nine children participated in the group, and parents reported increased confidence and strategies to improve emotional connections with children, commended the program's accessibility and effectiveness, and noted significant improvements in family dynamics and reduced behavioral challenges. One parent said “I am so thankful for this group. I felt reassured, comfortable, and confident while learning ways to improve how I’m parenting. [The group] helped the overall well-being of my child to be a happy, kind, and empathic kid.”
• Dr. Tracy Bale’s Brain Camp, an innovative summer program combining neuroscience education with hands-on art and science activities, engaged 25 children from diverse backgrounds in Aurora, Colorado in a one-week camp. The agenda for the camp tied science, art, and social-emotional learning to promote brain health, emphasizing emotional resilience and self-awareness, and empowering children to prioritize mental well-being. Students created collaborative artwork and five Little Free Libraries distributing 100 books, fostering community awareness about brain health. One student said “I couldn’t wait to come! This is the first time I have ever been excited to attend camp!”, and 100% of students returned day after day. In addition, Brain Camp inspired a student-led afterschool Brain Club, engaging girls in STEM leadership.

  The Jeremy Richman Brain Health Research Endowed Fellowship supports young scientists interested in brain health and the development of technology and programs focused on building compassion and preventing violence participating in the Psychiatry Undergraduate Research Program and Learning Experience (PURPLE). In 2024, intern Alan Blankenship highlighted how the program enabled him to research suicide prevention among NCAA athletes under the mentorship of Dr. Matt Mishkind. Alan reflected on the program, stating that this mentorship “enriched my research with a deeper understanding of how compassion and mental health intersect and underscored the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing societal challenges”.

   

  Looking Ahead

  This year’s accomplishments reflect the power of collaboration, innovation, and community to drive meaningful change. As we look to the year ahead, we are eager to continue this important work, creating new opportunities to honor Avielle and Jeremy’s legacies and inspire future generations.