Kenneth J. Martínez, Psy.D.

Dr. Martínez is a retired child psychologist from Corrales, New Mexico. He was Principal Researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), Washington, D.C. Dr. Martinez led the Disparities and Disproportionalities Initiative that addressed health inequities of vulnerable populations. He was lead author of the Blueprint for Using Data to Reduce Disparities/ Disproportionalities in Human Services and Behavioral Health Care, a framework and multistep process to reduce disparities and disproportionalities in communities and states. Dr. Martinez has worked with many communities and states in promoting and operationalizing cultural and linguistic competence, racial equity and reducing disparities as well as promoting the public health approach and linking local and state initiatives. Prior to retirement he provided technical assistance and was the lead disparities reduction specialist with the National Resource Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention (Safe Schools/Healthy Students and Project LAUNCH). He provided technical assistance to states and school districts on culturally, linguistically, and evidence informed practices that incorporate racial equity, a public health approach, family driven, and youth guided care.

Dr. Martinez has been on the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center since 1978. He was State Children’s Behavioral Health Director in New Mexico from 1997-2005. He is past chair of the Children, Youth and Families Division of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, representing the 50 states and territories. He has served on the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Symposium Planning Committee at the Carter Center; and is past Vice President of the National Latino Behavioral Health Association, a founding member of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health, and on the National Advisory Board of the Institute for Translational Research in Adolescent Behavioral Health at the University of South Florida.

In December 2014 Dr. Martinez was appointed by U.S. DHHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell to the SAMHSA National Advisory Council. He has testified before Congress on the mental health needs of children and youth in the juvenile justice system and presented at a Congressional Briefing with Dr. Jane Knitzer on the mental health needs of children and youth. Dr. Martinez developed the concept of Community Defined Evidence to describe an indigenous and bottom-up way of describing effective practices in communities of color. Dr. Martinez has developed products, authored articles, book chapters and has conducted numerous trainings/presentations on cultural and linguistic competence, reducing disparities, best practices for communities of color, community defined evidence, children’s mental health and social issues. He graduated with distinction from Stanford University and was a Ford Foundation Fellow at the University of Denver, School of Professional Psychology, graduating with a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in 1978. Dr. Martinez co-founded Albuquerque Coalition for El Salvador in 1992 which provided post-Civil War Salvadoran campesinos with a wide variety of volunteer behavioral health, physical health and educational services and necessary funds to support them.

Dr. Martínez is a retired child psychologist from Corrales, New Mexico. He was Principal Researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), Washington, D.C. Dr. Martinez led the Disparities and Disproportionalities Initiative that addressed health inequities of vulnerable populations. He was lead author of the Blueprint for Using Data to Reduce Disparities/ Disproportionalities in Human Services and Behavioral Health Care, a framework and multistep process to reduce disparities and disproportionalities in communities and states. Dr. Martinez has worked with many communities and states in promoting and operationalizing cultural and linguistic competence, racial equity and reducing disparities as well as promoting the public health approach and linking local and state initiatives. Prior to retirement he provided technical assistance and was the lead disparities reduction specialist with the National Resource Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention (Safe Schools/Healthy Students and Project LAUNCH). He provided technical assistance to states and school districts on culturally, linguistically, and evidence informed practices that incorporate racial equity, a public health approach, family driven, and youth guided care.

Dr. Martinez has been on the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center since 1978. He was State Children’s Behavioral Health Director in New Mexico from 1997-2005. He is past chair of the Children, Youth and Families Division of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, representing the 50 states and territories. He has served on the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Symposium Planning Committee at the Carter Center; and is past Vice President of the National Latino Behavioral Health Association, a founding member of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health, and on the National Advisory Board of the Institute for Translational Research in Adolescent Behavioral Health at the University of South Florida.

In December 2014 Dr. Martinez was appointed by U.S. DHHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell to the SAMHSA National Advisory Council. He has testified before Congress on the mental health needs of children and youth in the juvenile justice system and presented at a Congressional Briefing with Dr. Jane Knitzer on the mental health needs of children and youth. Dr. Martinez developed the concept of Community Defined Evidence to describe an indigenous and bottom-up way of describing effective practices in communities of color. Dr. Martinez has developed products, authored articles, book chapters and has conducted numerous trainings/presentations on cultural and linguistic competence, reducing disparities, best practices for communities of color, community defined evidence, children’s mental health and social issues. He graduated with distinction from Stanford University and was a Ford Foundation Fellow at the University of Denver, School of Professional Psychology, graduating with a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in 1978. Dr. Martinez co-founded Albuquerque Coalition for El Salvador in 1992 which provided post-Civil War Salvadoran campesinos with a wide variety of volunteer behavioral health, physical health and educational services and necessary funds to support them.