Alex Kopelowicz

Alex Kopelowicz serves as Professor-in-residence and Department Vice Chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine. His work focuses on improving mental health outcomes for Latino populations, particularly those with schizophrenia and related disorders.

Dr. Kopelowicz's research interests center on cultural psychiatry, schizophrenia treatment, family interventions, and cross-cultural mental health services. He has developed culturally adapted interventions including multifamily groups for Latinos with schizophrenia and approaches to improve treatment adherence in Mexican American populations. His work bridges clinical psychiatry with cultural competence, addressing health disparities through culturally sensitive assessment and treatment approaches.

His publication record shows consistent research output with recent focus areas including psychosis literacy among Latinos, duration of untreated psychosis in Latinx communities, diabetes management in patients with serious mental illness, and digital mental health interventions. The publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on culturally tailored interventions and understanding cultural factors in mental health treatment.

Dr. Kopelowicz has served as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded research projects including 'Clozapine for the Prevention of Violence in Schizophrenia' (R01MH120319, 2021-2026), 'Using Multifamily Groups to Improve Family-Centered Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes among Mexican Americans' (R01NR015809, 2016-2021), and earlier significant work on 'Multiple Family Groups for Latinos with Schizophrenia' (K08MH001665, 1998-2004).

His research has involved extensive collaboration with community health workers, family members, and interdisciplinary teams to develop culturally responsive mental health services. Dr. Kopelowicz's work has significantly contributed to understanding expressed emotion in schizophrenia across cultural contexts and developing culturally appropriate assessment tools for diverse populations.