2017 Urban Research Awards: Summer Mental Health Access for Urban Youth

Associate Professor Jennifer Greif Green in collaboration with Assistant Professor Elizabeth Bettini, Professor Donna Pincus and Ph.D. candidate Rachel Oblath will investigate mental health service access for urban youth during the three summer months when school is not in session. The aim of this research is to examine whether and where urban youth receive mental health services in the summer. Prior research consistently shows that schools are a top provider of mental health services to youth, particularly in urban communities.

The researchers will collect new survey data from 200 parents in Boston, Brockton and Fall River, MA. Data will be used to answer the following research questions:

• To what extent do youth with emotional and behavioral disorders who receive school-based services during the academic year access any mental health services in the summer? What are barriers to service access in the summer?
• Where do youth who receive mental health services in the summer access those services and what is the nature of services provided?
• To what extent is summer service use associated with specific youth social and emotional profiles?

View more projects funded through our Early Stage Urban Research Awards