Dr. Sonyia Richardson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a secondary appointment in the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Richardson’s research interests include identifying and removing barriers (practical, systemic, organizational, and cultural) to mental health treatment for Black youth and developing interventions to support their persistence in mental health treatment. She has expertise as a community-engaged, mixed methods researcher and focuses on developing culturally informed and affirming interventions, advancing racial and social equity, and reducing mental health disparities. She is a current recipient of a competitive NIMH-funded grant (R34 MH129782) entitled Culturally Adapted – Linking Individuals Needing Care. The research team works with the Black youth and families community to design and test a suicide prevention intervention. As a respected scholar in the field of social work, she was appointed to the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in 2020. In her second appointed term, she serves as Director of the Wellness Outcomes subcommittee. Additionally, she received the North Carolina National Association of Social Workers Award for the 2021 Social Worker of the Year for her leadership and advocacy efforts. Dr. Richardson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a Master in Social Work degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
