Jodi Ford

Image

First Name

Jodi

Last Name

Ford

Credentials

PhD, RN, FAAN

Grayce M. Sills Endowed Professor in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

Director, PhD Program

ford.553@osu.edu

614-292-6862

Address

200S Heminger Hall

Address (Line 2)

1577 Neil Avenue

City

Columbus

State

Zip Code

43210

Research Interests

Dr. Jodi Ford’s research focuses on the effects of adverse childhood experiences (e.g., violence, poverty, racism) on physiological stress, their linkages to youth mental health and potential social and structural avenues for intervention and prevention. Her professional life has centered on addressing inequities in health, particularly among children, adolescents and young adults. Through her program of research, she strives to promote optimal youth health and development. Dr. Ford has received external funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct her research. As a faculty member in the College of Nursing, she teaches graduate level courses on the biopsychosocial determinants of health and secondary data analysis, and mentors students at all levels.

Dr. Ford started her career as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, then worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner in primary care after completing her master’s degree. Her clinical experiences informed her program of research as she observed firsthand how exposure to adversity, including poverty, violence, racism and discrimination, negatively affected the health and well-being of children and their families. Dr. Ford earned her PhD in public health from the University of South Florida and her MS and BSN from the University of Florida.

View publications

Media Reports:

HEAL Prevention Cooperative Podcast Series: Women Leading Prevention Science: Engaging Youth Experiencing Homelessness.
heal.nih.gov/news/events/podcast-women-leading-prevention-science#youth

Funded Research Grants

1R01DA059411 (Ford & Slesnick, MPI)
09/30/23 – 07/31/28
Building Social and Structural Connections for the Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder among Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Randomized Control Trial Examining Biopsychosocial Mechanisms
Funder: NIH/NIDA
Role: Corresponding Principal Investigator
Total award: $6,901,013; 20% effort
1R01NR019008 (Ford & Pickler, MPI)
09/10/20 – 07/31/24
Childhood Adversity, Biopsychosocial Pathways, and Telomere Length in Adolescence
Funder: NIH/NINR
Role: Corresponding Principal Investigator
Total award: $1,118,819; 10% effort
1R01HD113259 (Browning & Calder, MPI)
09/15/23 –06/30/28
Activity Space Adversity and Racial Disparities in Adolescent Health
Funder: NIH/NICHD
Role: Co-Investigator
Total award: $3,930,315; 8%
1R01DA058627 (Slesnick, PI)
07/01/23 – 06/30/28
Suicide Prevention with Substance Using Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Funder: NIH/NIDA
Role: Co-Investigator
Total award: $3,868,559; 10% effort
4UH3DA050174 (Slesnick & Kelleher, MPI)
09/01/20 – 08/31/24
Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder: The HOME (Housing, Opportunities, Motivation and Engagement) Randomized Trial
Funder: NIH/NIDA
Role: Co-Investigator
Total award: $4,922,920; 10% effort
1R21MD016940 (Quinn, PI)
07/14/23 – 01/31/25
Exploring PTSD Symptoms, Barriers and Facilitators to Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for Justice-Involved Black/African American Female Adolescents and Parents/Caregivers
Funder: NIH/NIMHD
Role: Consultant
5R01DK125541 (Juon & Klassen, MPI)
04/12/21 – 03/31/25
Bio-Psycho-Social Drivers of Disparities in Liver Disease Progression among Korean Americans with Hepatitis B Infection
Funder: NIH/NIDDK
Role: Consultant
2029043 (Browning, PI)
5/15/20 - 4/30/21
National Science Foundation
Collaborative Research: RAPID: Socioeconomic Determinants of Social Distancing Behaviors in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Role: Co-I
The purpose of this study is to examine socioeconomic differences in social distancing practice during the COVID-19 practices.
UG3DA050174-01 (Slesnick, N. & Kelleher, K. – MPI)
09/30/19 – 08/31/20
NIH, NIDA
Prevention of OUD: The HOME (Housing, Opportunities, Motivation and Engagement) Randomized Trial
The UG3 study will pilot test a Housing First intervention linked with opioid and related risk prevention services with youth experiencing homelessness to determine its initial efficacy, feasibility and acceptability, and to refine the housing strategy, as needed, for a larger Phase II trial (UH3) to start in Fall 2020. In addition, the study will examine psychological and biological (hair cortisol) stress pathways through which housing effects substance use and mental health of youth experiencing homelessness.
Role: Co-I
UL1TR002733 (Jackson – PI CCTS Grant, Ford- PI Pilot)
09/16/19 – 09/17/20
OSU Center for Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Grant
Feasibility of Collecting Stress Biomarkers among Homeless Youth
This pilot study will examine the feasibility of collecting stress biomarkers (hair for cortisol, saliva for telomeres) longitudinally in a diverse sample of youth experiencing homelessness, and to explore the relationships between the stress biomarkers and violence exposures.
Role: PI
1R21HD099596 (Hackman – PI)
08/16/19 – 07/31/21
NIH, NICHD
Adolescent Responses to Varying Environments in Virtual Reality Simulations
This R21 study will examine the effect of adverse neighborhood environments on chronic stress (hair cortisol) using a virtual reality platform, and habituation or sensitization to different neighborhood characteristics.
Role: Consultant
Ohio League for Nursing Sub-award (Bechtel and Jones – MPI) 08/21/18 – 07/31/20
Evaluation of the Core Determinants of Health
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a nurse-led screening process related to the core social determinants of health.
Role: PI
R21TW011131 (Schmeer – PI)
08/15/18 – 04/30/20
NIH, John E Fogarty International Center
Social Contexts, Stress and Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors across the Life Course: A Pilot Study in Nicaragua
The purpose of this study is to conduct biosocial and longitudinal research in collaboration with the Center for Demographic and Health Research (CIDS) at the Nicaraguan National Autonomous University in Leon on the relationships between social contexts, stress and health behaviors in adolescents from Leon, Nicaragua.
Role: Co-I
R03HD096182 (Boettner – PI)
04/01/18 – 03/31/20
NIH, NICHD
Documenting and Archiving the Adolescent Health and Development in Context Study
The purpose of this project is to prepare the data from the Adolescent Health and Development in Context study and the Linking Biological and Social Pathways to Adolescent Health and Wellbeing for restricted and public use distribution.
Role: Co-I

Degree Certifications

PhD in Public Health - Social and Behavioral Science Concentration, University of South Florida (Department of Community and Family Health)
MS in Nursing - Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, University of Florida
BS in Nursing, University of Florida

News

December 16, 2025

Fritter named a Fellow of clinical research association

Faculty member recognized for impact and influence in the healthcare field

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) named faculty member Jessica Fritter, DHSc, MACPR, ACRP-CP, FACRP, as part of its 2026 class of Fellows.

October 21, 2025

From Ohio State News: Adverse, positive childhood experience levels in US haven’t changed much

New research shows that overall, the prevalence of adverse and positive childhood experiences reported by parents of teenagers hasn’t changed substantially in the United States in recent years.

The findings suggest that interventions designed to boost positive family experiences and shield children from negative experiences may not be hitting the mark on a national scale, the study’s authors say.

Read the Ohio State News story

Virtual Tai Chi for Mind and Body

January 20, 2:00 p.m.

Virtual Tai Chi for Mind and Body

January 22, 2:00 p.m.

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