Danielle Jordan Uses Data to Strengthen Mental Health Recovery in Underserved Communities in Alabama

Danielle Jordan was pursuing a Master’s of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (link opens in new window) when she served as a Region IV Public Health Training Center Pathways to Practice Scholar during the summer of 2025. She completed her field placement with Alethia House (link opens in new window), a community-based organization in Alabama that provides mental health and substance use treatment services to underserved populations, including individuals who are uninsured, underinsured, or experiencing homelessness.

During her placement, Danielle focused on evaluating residential behavioral health programs to better understand how treatment experiences, follow-up, and client engagement influence long-term mental health recovery. She conducted follow-up surveys with former clients, analyzed quantitative and qualitative data, and translated findings into outcome and change reports used by organizational leaders and funders.

Danielle’s work highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement across treatment programs, emphasizing the importance of individualized care, client-centered policies, and consistent follow-up to support sustained mental health recovery. Her evaluation helped inform evidence-based strategies to enhance the overall quality of mental health services.

“Above all, this placement has solidified my commitment to ensuring underserved populations can receive the healthcare help they need. Whether I am in a position interfacing directly with the community or working behind the scences to evaluate programs, I am committed to ensuring health equity for underserved populations.”