Jennifer E. Johnson

Dr. Jennifer E. Johnson is C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health at Michigan State University.
She is a licensed clinical psychologist who conducts policy-relevant randomized trials of effectiveness cost-effectiveness, and implementation of mental health and substance use interventions for vulnerable populations, including perinatal women and individuals involved in the criminal justice system. She has been Principal Investigator of twelve research studies funded by the National Institutes of Health, and Co-Investigator of another thirteen.

Dr. Johnson’s studies include the first large randomized trial of any treatment for major depressive disorder in an incarcerated population, the first randomized trial of suicide prevention for justice-involved individuals, and an extensive study of the scale-up of a postpartum depression prevention program in 90 prenatal clinics serving low-income women nationally.

She has also researched interventions for HIV prevention, sexual assault and partner violence prevention, and perinatal bipolar disorder. Her overall goals are to improve well-being, increase agency, and reduce preventable suffering of women and girls, justice-involved individuals, and Flint-area citizens. Her policy goals include reducing incarceration rates and preventing gender-based violence.