Jodi Ford
PhD, RN, FAAN
Grayce M. Sills Endowed Professor in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Co-Director, PhD Program
Biography
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.
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
- 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