Community Participation & Peer Support

Current Projects

• Examining Feasibility of Community-based Multidisciplinary Team-based Model (Emerge) for TAY with Serious Mental Health Diagnoses. Comparing young people’s experiences with Emerge services (community support, care coordination, evidence-based therapies, Peer Support, Supported Employment & Education + prescribing) to those in adult-services-as-usual, and developing a manual, fidelity scale, and training tools for Emerge replication in Illinois and nationally (NIDILRR-funded; 2022-2025).
• Evaluating Headspace Model in US Context, Amplify Center, Dell Medical School, UT-Austin: Examining and capturing financial sustainability and key operational processes of Amplify Clinic (Community Navigation, Peer Support, Supported Employment & Education, evidence-based therapies, prescribing, & basic primary care) to inform model replication in Texas, and across the U.S. (Foundation-funded; 2022-present). 
• Skills for Expanding Expertise in Peer Support (SEEPS), Near-Age Peer Support Theory of Practice & Training Development, Portland State University: Developing theory of practice for Peer Support Providers in CSC across US to inform virtual training development & evaluation (2021-present).
• Improving Young Adult Peer Mentor Workforce Integration, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, CBH Knowledge Center: Developing training & support tools for young adult peer mentor supervisors, conducting a training and professional development needs assessment in 2022. (2019-present) 

Past Projects

• Texas Family Partner Study (2024): This qualitative study aims to build deeper understanding of Family Partner (FP) experiences on the job and how to best support this valuable workforce. This study examines the complexity of the FP role, what state and agency supports are in place to support FPs (and their experiences with these supports), and what common challenges FPs face in their roles and how the state and agencies can better support FPs in their unique and critical roles in youth mental health settings.
• Developing Team and Community-based Multidisciplinary Model for Youth Aging Out of Care, Thresholds Onward Program, Chicago, IL. (2019-2023)
• Blending In-Person & Virtual Support in TAY Multidisciplinary Community-Based Care During COVID-19, CORE Study data collection delays, we examined a real-world provider’s policies and practices to integrate virtual support in real-time & created a provider guide to promote virtual service blending. (NIDILRR-funded, 2020-2021) 
• Integrating Multidisciplinary care model for TAY with Serious Mental Health Diagnoses in University Healthcare System, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine: Providing consultation, training and technical assistance to Focused Forward & REPP Programs for individuals with a recent onset of psychosis and young people who do not qualify for CSC to improve sustainability, quality and outcomes. (Foundation-funded, 2019-2023) 
• Improving Provider Understanding of TAY Development & Needs, Portland State Pathways Research & Training Center: Expert review of online mental health provider training materials for engaging and effectively working with TAY. (NIDILRR-funded, 2018). 
• Improving trauma-related practice and trainings for social service staff who work with Disadvantaged, Vulnerable & Marginalized TAY. Northwestern University Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services & Interventions (CCTASI): Supported focus group recruitment and implementation among TAY with complex trauma histories and child welfare involvement, as well as reviewing and advising on findings. (NCTCN-funded, 2018). 
• Integrating a Clinical High Risk Service Model in Community Mental Health Setting, Integral Care, Austin, TX. (SAMHSA-funded, 2018-2023). 
• Financing Multidisciplinary developmentally-attuned TAY Services across US via the TIP Model, Stars Behavioral Health, Los Angeles, CA: Analyzed Interviews with TIP Provider sites across US about their funding sources and sustainability plans; wrote public report for policy makers and program leaders (Stars-funded, 2021-2022). 
• Examining TAY Engagement in Multidisciplinary Community- and Team-based Services, Thresholds, Chicago:  Conducted a mixed-methods study examining engagement and disengagement in the Emerge Model, which blends and enhances multiple evidence-based practices to meet TAY mental health and developmental needs. (NIDILRR-funded, 2015-2017). 
• Improving Young Adult Peer Mentor Supervisor Skills, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Success for Transition-Age Youth (STAY) Project: Developed virtual and in-person trainings for supervisors and program leaders to promote Young Adult Peer Mentor on-the-job success, and positive impact on young people with serious mental health needs (SAMHSA-funded, 2015-2019). 
• Improving TAY-provided Peer and Vocational Services for Young People who identify as LGBTQ+ and have complex trauma histories, Jewish Board of New York, Bridging the Gap: Trained and consulted on integration of TAY peer-provided vocational practices, including developing young adult peer mentor onboarding process, & creating a TAY continuum of care across multiple Jewish Board programs (SAMHSA-funded, 2016-2021). 
• Building and integrating a multidisciplinary TAY team in a children’s behavioral health setting, Heart of Texas HTI, Waco, TX to promote personal wellness and developmental goal attainment via community navigation and in-vivo skills coaching. (SAMHSA-funded, 2016-2018)  
• Young Adult Peer Navigator Project, Integral Care TAY Services, Austin, TX: Building and integrating a multidisciplinary TAY team in an adult community mental health setting to promote personal wellness and developmental goal attainment via community navigation and in-vivo skills coaching. (SAMHSA-funded, 2018-2020)  
• Discovery-Oriented Care Promotion Project, UT-Austin, Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health: Developed TAY practice manual and examining child to adult service transitions in Texas (funding, 2017-2020) 
• Developing a Quality Measure for the TIP Solutions Review, Stars Behavioral Health, National Network on Youth in Transition: Developing and testing quality measures for the Transition to Independence Process (TIP) Solutions Review, Thresholds, Chicago, IL. (Stars-funded, 2017-2019). 
• Examining mental health condition onset and treatment narratives among TAY participating in emergency psychiatric services, University of Houston, School of Social Work, Dr. Sarah Narendorf: Coded interviews with team to develop study results and journal manuscript to guide assessment & intervention adolescent mental health among vulnerable and marginalized TAY. (2018-2019).
• Preventing Homelessness Among Aging Out Population in Illinois, Illinois Child Welfare: Preventing Homeless Planning Grant Development, Department of Children & Family Services and Thresholds, Chicago Partnership: Providing scoping literature review of best-practices for TAY experiencing homelessness for grant proposal development. (IL DCFS funded, 2013-2014)