News

Congratulations Dr. Zim Okoli, Executive Director of Mental and Behavioral Health for UK College of Nursing

Please join BH WELL in congratulating Zim Okoli PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, NCTTP for being appointed Executive Director of Mental and Behavioral Health for the UK College of Nursing. In this role, he will work to advance mental and behavioral health nursing education, practice and research. Dr. Okoli currently serves as Director of Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Evidence-Based Practice at Eastern State Hospital. In this new role, Dr.

AACN Promotes Nursing Student Well-being, Resilience, and Suicide Prevention

Deans of nursing schools nationwide, both undergraduate and graduate, have teamed together to promote nursing student well-being, resilience, and suicide prevention. They are taking active steps to provide programs and resources encouraging sound mental health, physical health, lifestyle behaviors, and well-being.

Partner Spotlight: Eastern State Hospital

BH WELL and Eastern State Hospital Team Up During COVID-19

University of Kentucky’s Behavioral Health Wellness Environments for Living and Learning (BH WELL) research team is composed of health professionals who stepped up with Eastern State Hospital (ESH) partners in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to BH WELL’s current projects promoting evidence-based best practices in behavioral wellness, here is a spotlight on how the partnership pivoted to meet pandemic needs.

Partner Spotlight: Kentucky Inclusive Health Collaborative

The Kentucky Inclusive Health Collaborative (KIHC) at the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute (HDI) exists to ignite positive change to address the significant health disparities for individuals with disabilities across the lifespan. Their team works to establish community partnerships and provide education on inclusive health strategies while providing resources and technical support. Efforts are focused on incorporating universal design to promote broad accessibility in physical spaces, programs, and services in a manner that operates for all people.

Dr. Zim Okoli Named KNA Outstanding Nurse Researcher of the Year

Zim Okoli PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, NCTTP, Behavioral Health Wellness Environments for Living and Learning (BH WELL) Director, was awarded Outstanding Nurse Researcher of the Year from the Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA).

ANA offers new Nurse Suicide Prevention and Resilience Resource 

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is offering a new nurse suicide prevention and resilience website. 

Lovoria Williams PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP Featured on Shift Podcast to Discuss Deadly Effects of Health Inequity

BH WELL’s Lovoria Williams, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, appears as a guest on SHIFT, a podcast aimed at bettering the nursing profession, to discuss the deadly effects of health inequity. She specifically discusses medical bias, culturally relevant care, and nurses as change-agents. 

Full Podcast

Opinion: Here's how we reduce COVID-19 racial disparities and help African Americans

Lovoria Williams PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP Receives Five-Year National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Award

Please join us in congratulating Lovoria Williams Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAANP for her success in receiving a five-year $2,966,335 National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases award entitled “Enhancing the Diabetes Prevention Program to promote weight loss among non-responders in a community-based lifestyle intervention”.

BH WELL Receives Funding to Assess Impact of Long-Acting Injectables on Psychiatric Treatment Outcomes

Please join us in congratulating Zim Okoli, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, CTTS for his success in receiving a two year $383,440 State of Kentucky Department of Medicaid award entitled, "Assessing the Impact of Long-Acting Injectables (LAIs) on Psychiatric Treatment Outcomes Among Medicaid Recipients". 

BREATHE Team Leaders, including BH WELL's Zim Okoli, Receive FY20-22 Award

Please join us in congratulating Ellen Hahn, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Zim Okoli, Ph.D., MPH, MSN, RN, CTTS,  Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Ph.D., RN, and Melinda Ickes, Ph.D. on their recent, two-year, FY20-22 award totaling $1,474,305 from the Kentucky Department for Public Health for the Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy.

BH WELL Research To Be Presented at the American Public Health Association’s 2020 Conference

BH WELL researchers have been selected to present at the American Public Health Association’s 2020 Conference, which is expected to be held October 24-28, 2020 in San Francisco, CA. This location is pending based on necessary COVID-19 precautions.

Op-Ed: Stop Using Tobacco Products and Be 'Lung Healthy' at Home

Clearing the Smoke: Kentucky’s Lingering Tobacco Habit

A tobacco barn in Magoffin County near the Mountain Parkway displays what once would have been an unlikely message for any rural Kentucky community: “Quit Now Kentucky. For help quitting smoking, 1-800-quit-now, www.quitnowkentucky.org.”

Farm owner Sheila Salyer acknowledges the irony. “Its history has been raising tobacco,” she said.

On KET’s Health Three60: Clearing the Smoke, Abbie Conley, tobacco coordinator for the Magoffin County Health Department, recalled how tobacco production brought farm families together...

Alex Lusembe is Pinned

We at BH WELL are proud to recognize Alex Lusembe. Alex was a graduate of the Work Learning Program. He received his BSN diploma during UK graduation ceremonies.

UK CON BSN Dec. 2019 Graduates

BH WELL congratulates UK College of Nursing December 2019 graduates Rachel Kinnard, Sophie Matheson, and Mady Strong. During their undergraduate program at the College of Nursing, Rachel and Mady went to Macau, China to learn about nursing care in Macau. Sophie and Mady were also BH WELL research interns during their undergraduate nursing program.

Dr. Zim Okoli Awarded KVC Values-Driven Partner Award at 2019 Annual Celebration

Williams is National Black Nurses Association's Nurse Researcher of the Year

Second Degree Student Named One of Thirty American Psychiatric Nurses Association Board of Directors Student Scholars

RAPID 2018 in UKNow Spotlight