Brendolyn Bailey-Burch

Brendolyn Bailey-Burch serves as Principal Investigator for Prevention Research and Community Education at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH), University of Missouri-St. Louis. She holds the highest Missouri Substance Abuse Counselors’ Certification and has 20 years of experience in prevention science, with the last decade focused on reducing health disparities among minority populations through federally funded interventions.

Her research spans HIV/AIDS prevention, substance abuse reduction, and women's health, emphasizing intergenerational approaches for African American communities. Key initiatives include the award-winning Girls Holla Back! project, which strengthens female caregiver communication around sexual health and family bonding, and Mental Health First Aid-Missouri as former director. Her work integrates community engagement with clinical prevention frameworks.

Notable recognitions include the 2016 Trailblazers award for exceptional community service contributions. She has secured significant grants, including a $1 million award for social media-integrated HIV prevention, demonstrating expertise in translating research into scalable public health programs.

• Trained suicide prevention instructor
• Specialized in federal/local grant management
• Focus on African American girls and caregivers

Her laboratory equivalent involves community-church partnerships like the Space Scouts initiative, extending research into real-world settings through African American congregations to address substance abuse holistically.