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Invisible Partners in Recovery: Social Isolation, Discrimination, and Support Among Mental Health Caregivers (In-Person Only)
Sunday November 8, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Breakout Room #1
Family involvement in treatment is one of the strongest prognostic factors for recovery from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD). Yet, while psychotherapeutic treatment for SSD has increasingly emphasized connection, belonging, and recovery through social engagement, less attention has been paid to the social experiences of the family caregivers who actually make that recovery possible. In addition, research on family caregiving has historically focused on dementia, leaving caregivers of individuals with serious mental illness significantly understudied. This panel will incorporate lived experience from a family member supporting a loved one with schizophrenia; clinical and research insights drawn from direct work in psychosis care; population-level evidence from national BRFSS data on mental health caregiving; and a public health and policy perspective informed by decades of leadership in mental health and caregiving initiatives. Together, these perspectives offer a multidimensional view of caregiver isolation, stigma, and inclusion, allowing us to examine these issues through lived experience, clinical practice, research, and systems-level change.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Waford, PhD, ABPP

Rachel Waford, PhD, ABPP

Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor, Consulting Psychologist, Early Psychosis Clinic Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Grady Health System Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Rachel Waford, PhD, ABPP is a licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist in Atlanta, GA. She is an Assistant Professor at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Hubert Department of Global Health and Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry... Read More →
avatar for Mitul Desai

Mitul Desai

CEO, Co-Founder, The Care Hack
Mitul Desai has spent the past two decades helping care for his brother, who lives with schizophrenia. Driven by a mission to ensure no other family suffers in isolation as his did, Mitul co-founded The Care Hack to provide evidence-based, practical support for families navigating... Read More →
avatar for Ke Wang, PhD

Ke Wang, PhD

Data Analyst, Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program at The Carter Center
Dr. Ke Wang is a research, evaluation, and data strategy leader with expertise in caregiving, mental health, health systems, and evidence-informed policy. She serves with the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program at The Carter Center, where she leads caregiver-focused... Read More →
avatar for Neetu Abad, PhD

Neetu Abad, PhD

Director, Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program at The Carter Center
Dr. Neetu Abad is a seasoned leader who has implemented high-impact public health strategies in mental and behavioral health, vaccine-preventable diseases, and emergency response domestically and globally. In July 2025, she was named the first director of the Rosalynn Carter Mental... Read More →
Sunday November 8, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Breakout Room #1
  Breakout Session, In-Person Only

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