Author: Dr. Micah E. Johnson

Dr. Micah E. Johnson is an associate professor of Family Medicine at UCLA. He is a medical sociologist focused on the social determinants of behavioral health, particularly addiction and violence. Dr. Johnson has authored 30 scientific articles and multiple books, including Never Had a Friend and The Police Youth Dialogues. He was awarded four million dollars in active research grants from the National Institutes of Health. His work has been cited by the New York Times, ESPN, Senator Bernie Sanders, Charlamagne tha God, and others. He is the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Research Achievement Award at the University of South Florida and the 2023 Community Peacebuilder of the Year Award from the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. Dr. Johnson's research and advocacy have helped reduce decades of prison sentences and overturn death penalties for individuals with behavioral health needs in over 100 capital and felony cases throughout the country. He is also pioneering the use of edutainment lectures as interventions to engage diverse communities and enhance behavioral health.