For National Minority Health Month 2025, we asked Dr. Kelly Morton to participate in a Q&A about her career and research in health equity.
Dr. Kelly R. Morton, PhD, MA
Professor of Family Medicine (School of Medicine), Professor of Psychology, Director of Research, Mentor, Researcher
Q: What inspired you to pursue a degree in Lifespan Development Psychology?
A: Mentors. My best mentors were in Developmental Psychology. I had this amazing woman who taught me Developmental Psychology at Wake Forest University. Her name was Debbie Best, and she was the most incredible professor. She just made me so excited about the idea of human development, because it's so optimistic. It's like you never stop growing. There's always another opportunity to carry on, to expand and grow. There are no limits. She inspired me. And then she introduced me to another professor, John Cavanaugh, who became my dissertation chair. He gave me scholarships, grants, and stipends so I paid no tuition. It was amazing. So... what's not to love?
Q: What originally inspired you to pursue a college education?
A: A mentor, my algebra teacher, once told me, "You're really good at math. You should apply for these programs. You should go to college." Her name was Cheryl Taylor. I still remember her so clearly, because she made me see myself differently. At the time, I thought my path was already set, I was going to be a waitress. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it wasn't what I truly wanted. Thanks to her, I realized I could do something more. She changed that trajectory for me. That's one of the biggest reasons I want to be a mentor myself, because I had mentors. Sometimes you don't even know what's possible until someone believes in you, encourages you to push yourself. I never imagined this life for myself. Not until someone opened that door.
Q: What advice would you give to students who are aspiring to pursue a career in degree in Life-Span Developmental Psychology, based on your own experiences and insights?
A: Network. There's always a helper. One teacher can change everything for you.
Q: How has holding your position influenced your research interests?
A: I grew up in a very underserved, very rural area. Most of my family has had little to no access to medical care throughout their lives, and none of them has ever really understood mental health care. In fact, I had never even met a psychologist ever. That experience opened my eyes to how many communities across America are underserved and face serious health inequities. I truly believe they suffer because of that lack of access and understanding. When I came to Loma Linda and started working in family medicine, I saw the incredible opportunity this place has to change the health of an entire region. I genuinely believe we're doing that. It's an amazing and worthy mission and I wanted to be part of it. I took Loma Linda University's motto to heart: "To make man whole." I've tried to figure out how my work could contribute to that mission. I don't know if it has or not, but I've always strived to see mental health care as health care because I don't think they can be separated. Mental and physical are deeply interconnected. If you struggle with mental health, it will eventually affect your physical health. And if you're dealing with physical health issues, mental health concerns often follow. Seeing those as part of a whole and addressing them together as a team is, unfortunately, still not the norm. But it should be.
Q: What does National Minority Health Month mean to you?
A: That’s a very poignant question right now, because health equity is under attack. Everything related to it is being disbanded or disregarded in this moment in history. For decades, I've worked to provide care and to guide trainees toward serving underrepresented communities, communities that quite literally surround us. We've played a major role at SAC and at our FQHC in making tangible changes to improve care for the underserved. We've implemented resource centers, community gardens, social determinants of health screenings, integrated mental health services, and high-quality care delivered by our family medicine residents. And now, the current political climate not only devalues that work, it actively pushes against it. That's really hard for me right now. Because everything I've done throughout my career has been in support of this mission. And now, not only is that work no longer supported, continuing it could even threaten the university's funding. That's a painful truth. Many grants across the nation have been cancelled. So, for me, the question has become: How do I keep doing this? How do I keep going when this work is not only considered unfavorable but potentially unlawful? How do we all continue, when what we're doing is aimed at ensuring everyone gets the care they deserve, but doing so might put our institutions at risk? It's something I'm deeply struggling with right now and I know I'm not alone. I've never seen anything like this. I wish I could be more optimistic but the truth is, I'm scared. I'm scared about the damage this could cause. But at the same time, I've lived a long life, and one thing I've learned is: you don't always know what's on the other side. Sometimes the worst moments lead to backlash or to transformation that couldn't have happened any other way. So I keep telling myself, "Okay, Morton. You don't know. Don't give up. Just keep at it." Because our work is help and maybe that's why it will endure. I really believe it's worth fighting for. These are tough times, for all of us, and for people who never imagined they would be affected by the decisions of a new administration. But still, I think the fight is worth it. I think this work still matters.
Q: How do you approach self-care and maintaining your own well-being while working in such a demanding field?
A: I exercise regularly, I do yoga, Pilates, lift weights, and take barre classes. I love to travel with my husband. We're both really into the arts, we visit museums, go to the theater, and we're avid film buffs. I also read voraciously, usually four books at a time, just for pleasure. My number one passion, outside of work, is cooking. I always say it's not just about the cooking, it's about feeding others. That's what I truly love. I love entertaining, gathering people together, and sharing food. It brings me so much joy.
Q: What are the current projects you are working on?
A: My work at SACH is funded by the PCTE and GPE grants. I am core faculty in the Family Medicine Residency, PhD Clinical Psychology program, and associated faculty in the PsyD Clinical Psychology program. I am currently a PI or co-PI on the following grants:
- Peteet, B & Flynn, P. (2020-2025). Health Resources and Services Administration, Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (HRSA SDS). Grant # T08HP39318-01-00. 4P: Primary Care Psychology Pipeline Program. Co-investigator. $2.97 million.
- Van Dyk, T. (2021-2025). Health Resources and Services Administration: Behavioral Health Workforce Training Grant. TIP TAP: Pediatrics Integrated Behavioral Health at an FQHC. Co-investigator, Funded.
- Morton, K.R. (2023-2025). PIPS: Psychology Integration in Primary care for Substance use disorders. Health Resources and Services Administration Graduate Psychology Education Program Grant D4033349. $956,000. Funded.
- Lee, H. & Morton, K.R. (2023-2027). ICARE: Integrated Care to Achieve Resilience in Engaged Teams. TA2HP48941-01-00 for Health Resources and Services Administration Primary Care Training and Enhancement - Residency Training in Mental & Behavioral Health. $2.5 million. Funded.
- Lee, H., & Morton, K.R. (2024-25). Song Brown Family Medicine Residency Grant. Song Brown State of California. Funded.
- Morton, K.R. (2023-2025). TRUCKY: Training Rural & Underserved Care for Kids & Youth. HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Training for Children, Adolescents & Youth Grant M0152150. Funded.
Interview conducted by Gelsey Aldana, Clinical Psychology PhD student.