Biographical Statement
Raymond Weston, Ph.D.
A
clinical psychologist, with more than 20 years of clinical experience and more
than 10 years of research experience, Dr. Weston has focused his career efforts
on the mental and public health needs of persons of African descent. He
received his BA in Psychology from City College of City University of New York in 1971, his MS and PH.D in Clinical Psychology from the Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and
Professional Psychology in 1977.
Additionally, he attended one year at Boston University, School of
Social Work, completing 24 credits towards the MSW degree.
In
the clinical area, Dr. Weston has worked with diverse populations in several
different roles. He has functioned as a
direct service provider, supervisor, coordinator, and director in an assortment
of clinical areas including psychiatric inpatient units, residential treatment
programs for the seriously mentally ill, and outpatient clinics. In 1989, as a member of the Association
of Black Psychologists, Dr. Weston was among the psychologists who received
training in the prevention and treatment of persons living with AIDS, funded by
a grant from NIMH.
The
major thrust of his research has been in the area of racial identity,
specifically the impact of racial identity on mental and public health outcomes
such as Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug use, serious and persistent mental
illness, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and heart disease. In 1990, he received the Minority
Supplemental Investigators Award from NHLBI to identify the impact of
racial identity on health behavior decisions regarding heart disease. Results
indicated that the a racial identity based video was an effective educational
instrument for communicating information regarding the health risks of a high
cholesterol diet, but was less successful in modifying behavioral intentions to
monitor cholesterol.
Dr.
Weston has participated in several National Institutes of Health funded
community wide health promotion projects including:
1.
A NIDA funded
project for the development of HIV/AIDS prevention material targeted toward
youth of African and Latino descent. Resulted suggested that youth tended to
over report their sexual risk, and under report their substance use.
2. A NHLBI funded cholesterol awareness and screening projects in a bi-racial community. The results of the Mount Vernon CARES Project demonstrated the ability to involve low-income African Americans in health promotion interventions as well as mobilize community leaders around a health issue, in this case cholesterol reduction.
In the CARES project, we screened more than 4,700 Mount Vernon residents
during a 25‑day period across fifteen sites.
3.
A NCI funded
tobacco cessation project in the Harlem community. The final recruitment
figures of the Harlem Health Connection Project again demonstrated that
inner-city African Americans can be engaged in health promotion
activities. More than 9,300 total
individuals were recruited from three channels: 4,893 from health care
facilities, 1,885 from churches, and 2,533 from housing projects.
In
1993, Dr. Weston was awarded a NIMH Research Fellowship for training in the
area of HIV/AIDS. Working within the Department of Psychiatry at Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center, he investigated the impact of reference group
orientation on the behavioral practices of women of African descent who are at
risk for HIV/AIDS. The results have
demonstrated the heterogeneity of beliefs, values and behaviors that exist
among women of African descent, and the impact of these differences on health
care utilization practices. In 1994, he
was named Chief Research Fellow, a position that he held for the remainder of
his tenure in the Fellowship Program.
In
1996, Dr. Weston became a member of the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioral Sciences of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In this role he explored the impact racial
identity on the behavioral practices of women of African descent who are at
risk for HIV/AIDS and cancer. The data
for these investigations were derived from two studies: a) a NIMH funded
study, Problem Solving with Families Affected by AIDS; b) a NIDA
funded study, Promoters and Barriers to HIV Risk Reduction and Testing among
Inner City Women.
In September 0f 2001, Doctor Weston joined the faculty of the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. He continues to focus his professional activities around the health needs of people of African descent, as well as share his clinical and research experiences with undergraduate and graduate level students. Dr. Weston is also a Senior Research Consultant for EVAXX, Inc., an African American owned research firm.
Areas
of current research interest include: