Biography

Claude Ann Mellins PhD, is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience conducting research and developing programs focused on psychosocial aspects of HIV disease, substance use, and stress in children, adolescents, young adults and families in the US and globally. She is a Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry and Sociomedical Sciences) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), the Associate Director of the Division of Gender, Sexuality and Health in Psychiatry, as well as the co-director of the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and CUIMC and its T32 Post-doctoral training program. Dr. Mellins has been the PI or Co-I of foundation and federally-funded research projects in the US and internationally. Her research has focused on the intersection of HIV prevention and care – targeting the critical psychosocial and contextual determinants of behavioral health outcomes (mental health, sexual and drug risk behavior, and treatment adherence) and informing evidence-based interventions for children, youth, and families living with or affected by HIV in the US and globally, particularly in South Africa, Uganda, and Thailand. Her research has involved longitudinal cohort studies, intervention trials and collaborations with inter-disciplinary academic teams, medical and community providers, and governmental health officials.

Clinically, Dr. Mellins has also been the Co-Director of the Office of Clinical Psychology, a professional home for clinical psychologists at CUIMC. In addition, Dr. Mellins co-founded and co-directed the Special Needs Clinic at CUIMC, one of the first and largest mental health clinics for women, children, and families who have been affected by HIV. Most recently Dr. Mellins has also focused on wellbeing in academic settings, including studies of sexual assault, mental health, stress and coping and resilience among undergraduate and graduate students, as well as health care providers. To this end, she is co-founded and is the program director of CopeColumbia, , a peer support program to promote the mental health and well-being of faculty and staff at CUIMC and the larger Columbia community during the COVID-19 pandemic .