The STARR Coalition

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The STARR Coalition

There is a gap in the system of care. As a part of the holistic treatment approach, we understand the vital role medications play in recovery.

The STARR Coalition's mission is to create MEANINGFUL CHANGE in the mental health landscape by increasing COMMUNICATION, PARTNERSHIPS, and GOODWILL among mental health researchers and the communities they serve. The STARR Coalition was formed to create positive change by increasing communication, partnerships and goodwill among stakeholders in the areas of treatment, advocacy, and pharmaceutical r

esearch with emphasis on consumers and patients mental health recovery. Many individuals struggling with mental illness continue to seek medication which will alleviate symptoms. Patients need to know they have the ability and right to participate in clinical trials in the hopes of clearing the path for new opportunities in pharmacology research. Patients also need the support of advocacy groups such as NAMI to ensure accountability in their treatment as well as assist in understanding guidelines and rights of individuals in trials and treatment. The STARR Coalition recognizes many golden threads in this union between stakeholders. All parties share the goal of ensuring individuals find a personal level of recovery from their symptoms. Positive outcomes necessitate treatment compliance with individuals invested in their care and recovery. Advocacy groups such as NAMI provide a wealth of support and information to consumers and their caregivers or families. By directing efforts to strengthen advocacy organizations from grassroots to national levels, we reinforce cooperation among all participants. Again, we hope to bring all of these parties together to form a work-group to streamline communication to ensure those being served receive the highest standards of care.

07/22/2026

Ever had someone ask "is there an app for that?" when it comes to managing serious mental illness? This book is the answer. 📱💙

Connected Care: A Practical Guide to Technology for Serious Mental Illness, by Nicole Gillen, just hit shelves - and it's already the #1 new release in Mood Disorders.

Gillen is a mom whose child was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and she wrote the book she wished had existed when her family was just starting out. It's not written from a distance - it's written from someone who's lived it.

Inside, you'll find:
📲 Over 42 vetted apps and digital tools
💊 60 pharma assistance portals, organized by type
✅ Nearly 20 practical checklists you can start using right away
📋 A clear, no-jargon breakdown of telepsychiatry, FDA-cleared digital therapeutics, and where AI is actually showing up in mental health care today

Families are often searching for exactly this kind of guidance - and coming up empty, or overwhelmed by conflicting information online. This book is one more bridge between the clinic and the home.

Learn more or grab a copy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5FC3XZH

Read the full spotlight: https://thestarr.org/news/connected-care-resource-for-patients/

Know a family who could use this? Share it with them, or with your network - every share helps connect people to resources that actually make a difference. 💛

Connected Care: A Practical Guide to Technology for Serious Mental Illness

07/13/2026

Our July newsletter has arrived!

Weigh in on a key participant compensation policy opportunity - comments due August 24!

Also inside: how trauma-informed care supports BIPOC participants during Mental Health Month, a new Advocacy Partner spotlight (ISBD), the latest Site News, and much more!

Email from The STARR Coalition BIPOC Mental Health Month, Policy Call for Action, Latest Site News, New Advocacy Partner STARR News & Updates July 2026 A Focus on Trauma-Informed Care for BIPOC Ment

07/13/2026

What if the way we categorize schizophrenia is part of the problem? 🧠

New research published in Schizophrenia Research proposes a three-pronged approach to reframing schizophrenia: reclassify it as a neurodevelopmental syndrome in the DSM and ICD, rename it to reduce stigma, and reshape how society understands the condition.

The authors argue that the current framing,defined largely by crisis-driven care and chronic disability, contributes to delayed diagnosis, poorer outcomes, and stigma that keeps people from seeking help. A neurodevelopmental framing would shift the focus toward earlier identification, more developmentally informed treatment, and expanded insurance coverage for early intervention.

Recovery is real. But how we talk about schizophrenia shapes whether people believe that and whether they seek care in time.

🔗 https://sczaction.org/new-research-argues-schizophrenia-should-be-recognized-as-a-neurodevelopmental-syndrome/

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

On April 23, S&PAA and TAC welcome policymakers, legal experts, clinicians, advocates, attorneys, judges, and individuals living with serious mental illness and their families to join our working session, Navigating the Justice System for Our Community, in Washington, D.C which marks the formal laun...

07/10/2026

For patients in crisis, waiting four to six weeks for an antidepressant to take effect isn't always an option. New research suggests ketamine may offer a faster path. 🧠

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry analyzed 26 randomized clinical trials involving more than 1,100 patients with major depressive episodes. The findings: a single IV ketamine infusion produced significant reductions in both depressive and suicidal symptoms within hours - with effects persisting through one week in some patients.

Ketamine is not FDA-approved for these indications and is used off-label for this purpose in the U.S. Longer-term outcomes are not yet well established. But for a population where speed of response can be lifesaving, the findings add to a growing body of evidence that glutamatergic mechanisms offer a meaningful alternative to traditional antidepressants.

This is why clinical research matters. Every study brings us closer to better options for the people who need them most.

🔗 https://www.ajmc.com/view/iv-ketamine-shows-rapid-benefits-for-suicide-risk-depression-in-major-depressive-episodes

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

A meta-analysis of 26 trials found that IV ketamine rapidly reduced suicidal and depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive episodes.

07/08/2026

This is what it looks like when clinical research shows up at the table. 💚

Pillar Clinical Research's Outpatient Recruitment Coordinator Cici Sanchez recently joined fellow mental health providers at the quarterly Mental Health Professionals Luncheon hosted by Alleviant Integrated Mental Health in Northwest Arkansas.

Alongside colleagues from Water's Edge Counseling Services, Inner Circle Autism Network, and other regional providers, Cici spent the afternoon building referral partnerships and strengthening the cross-provider relationships that make a real difference for individuals and families navigating mental health care.

When clinical research sites show up in spaces like this - not to recruit, but to connect - they become part of the care ecosystem. That's how trust gets built. That's how more people learn that clinical research is a viable care option.

Way to represent, Cici and the Pillar team! 💚

🔗 https://conta.cc/42K6VDq

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

Email from The STARR Coalition STARR Site of the Year, Upcoming Webinar, Latest Site News STARR News & Updates June 2026 Congratulations to STARR Site of the Year: Trialmed We are honored to recogni

07/06/2026

This week, some of the brightest minds in schizophrenia research and care are gathering in Cincinnati. 🧠

The CURESZ Foundation's Tenth Anniversary Summit, "Bridging the Gap Between Advances in Knowledge and Clinical Practice," takes place July 10-11 at the Graduate Hotel in Cincinnati.

Sessions will cover long-acting injectables for relapse prevention, clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, VMAT-2 inhibitors for tardive dyskinesia, and medications in the pipeline. There's also a session on identifying early warning signs of schizophrenia in college students - a population often at the age of risk and under the radar.

This is exactly the kind of gathering that moves the field forward. If you're attending, we'd love to hear what you take away. 💚

🔗 https://curesz.org/curesz-summit-2026/

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

CURESZ Foundation Tenth Anniversary Summit, July 10-11, 2026 The CURESZ Foundation invites you to join us on July 10-11, 2026 at the Graduate Hotel in Cincinnati for our Tenth Anniversary Summit. The Summit will begin on July 10th at 6pm Eastern Standard Time and end on July

07/01/2026

This is what community-engaged research looks like. 💚

The CenExel Decatur GA team showed up at the 2026 Kirkwood Spring Fling in Atlanta - not as recruiters, but as neighbors. They met families, sparked conversations, and shared information about current research opportunities in an environment that felt familiar and welcoming.

The result?

More than 25 people signed up for prescreening appointments on the spot.

That kind of response doesn't happen by accident. It happens when a research team puts in the work to earn trust before they ever ask for anything. Well done, CenExel Decatur GA. 💚

Read more about it in our newsletter: 🔗 https://conta.cc/42K6VDq

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

Email from The STARR Coalition STARR Site of the Year, Upcoming Webinar, Latest Site News STARR News & Updates June 2026 Congratulations to STARR Site of the Year: Trialmed We are honored to recogni

06/29/2026

85% of young adults living with tardive dyskinesia and a mood disorder experience moderate to severe impact. Only 23% have ever been formally diagnosed. 🧠

New data from the IMPACT-TD Registry,the largest real-world TD study to date, reveals a striking diagnostic gap that's hitting younger patients hardest. On average, patients waited more than 3.5 years after symptom onset before receiving a diagnosis. And among adults under 40, formal TD identification rates were lowest of all.

TD doesn't announce itself. It develops gradually, often dismissed as restlessness or a side effect patients just learn to live with. For young adults already managing a mood disorder, that gap between what they're experiencing and what's being recognized can mean years of unnecessary burden.

For clinical research sites working with psychiatric populations, this is a call to screen more consistently and start the conversation earlier.

🔗 https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-data-from-impact-td-registry-only-23-of-young-adults-with-mood-disorders-and-tardive-dyskinesia-symptoms-are-formally-diagnosed

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

Real-world registry data reveals young adults with mood disorders face high TD burden yet low diagnosis rates, spotlighting urgent screening gaps.

06/26/2026

Tomorrow is National PTSD Screening & Awareness Day. 💚

PTSD affects millions of adults in the U.S. -veterans and civilians alike. And one of the most powerful things we can do is make it easier for people to recognize the signs and take that first step toward getting help.

Tomorrow, take a moment to share a screening resource with someone in your network. The VA's National Center for PTSD has a free self-screen tool that takes just minutes.

For clinical research sites, this is also a meaningful moment to connect your community with resources and reinforce that effective treatment options exist.

🔗 https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/promo_materials.asp

Please SHARE to help build trust and awareness in mental health clinical research. 💚

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

06/25/2026

Did you miss our June newsletter?

Be sure to check it out for more information on the STARR Site of the Year - Trialmed Atlanta, our Stop the Stigma Champions, our Certified Sites, and much more!

Email from The STARR Coalition STARR Site of the Year, Upcoming Webinar, Latest Site News STARR News & Updates June 2026 Congratulations to STARR Site of the Year: Trialmed We are honored to recogni

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11700 Kanis Road, Ste 2
Little Rock, AR
72211

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http://www.thestarr.org/

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Devon Davasher, LCSW
Bentonville 72712

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