Astraea Augsberger
Associate Professor & Associate Dean for Doctoral Education
Astraea Augsberger has dedicated her career to promoting the rights of children, youth, and families to have a voice in organizational and institutional practices, programs, and policies that directly or indirectly impact their lives. Her research program, supported by federal, state, and foundation grants, examines multi-level factors that facilitate a person’s ability to participate in decision making within multiple institutions including child welfare, municipal government, education, and health care. Augsberger’s research has been shaped by more than fifteen years of clinical social work practice with children and families involved in multiple systems.
Augsberger is the director of Community Engagement for the Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Institute. She leads the Institute’s efforts to build institutional structures that center community priorities in the research process, develop new and sustain existing community-academic partnerships, and advance health equity through the widespread dissemination of best practices for community engaged work.
Augsberger’s research has been published in scholarly journals including Health Affairs, Children and Youth Services Review, American Journal of Community Psychology, and Journal of Adolescent Research. Augsberger has served as an expert advisor on youth engagement strategies and best practices to multiple federal, state, and local advisory boards, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Youth MOVE National, and the Boston Mayor’s Office.
Specialties
- Child Welfare Policy and Programs
- Youth and Family Engagement
- Health Equity
- Community Engaged Research
Research Areas
Related News
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Education
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BS (Human Development & Family Relations)
University of Connecticut
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MSW (Advanced Generalist Practice & Programming)
Columbia University
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PhD (Advanced Clinical Practice)
Columbia University
Courses
Social Welfare Policy and Programs on Children
WP 707
Introduction to Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups
CP 759
Clinical Practice with Individuals
CP 770
Qualitative Research Methods
SR 906
Publications
(Underlined denotes community partner co-author; * denotes graduate student co-author, ** denotes undergraduate student co-author)
Augsberger, A., Collins, M., & Howard, R. (2024). The global context of youth engagement: A scoping review of municipal youth councils. Children and Youth Services Review. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107349
Augsberger, A., Carroll, M., Howard, R., Ng, G., Maldonado-Reis, T., Amador, A., Morabito, M.S., & Green, J. G. (2023). Youth Mental Health Crisis Response: A Mixed Methods Study to Map Resources and Identify Facilitators and Barriers to Service Access. School Mental Health.
Augsberger, A., Young, A., Toraif, N., Morris, M., Gergen Barnett, K. (2023). Youth engagement to achieve health equity: Are health care organizations and leaders prepared? American Journal of Community Psychology. DOI:10.1002/ajcp.12656
Collins, M. E., Augsberger, A., & Levine, B. (2023). Opportunity Youth in Urban Areas: Can Youth Councils Enhance Connection to School and Work? Journal of Applied Youth Studies. DOI:10.1007/s43151-023-00107-w
Collins, M.E., Augsberger, A. & Howard, R., (2023). Post-Secondary Vocational Education for Youth Leaving Care: Examining A Potential Pathway to Successful Outcomes. British Educational Research Journal. http://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3933
Zeitlin, W., & Augsberger, A. (2023). Mothers in the community: The relationship between parental intellectual functioning and child welfare involvement. Family Trauma, Custody and Child Development. doi: 10.1080/26904586.2023.2259382
Bettis, A. H., Vaughn-Coaxum, R. A., Lawrence, R., Hamilton, J. L., Fox, K. R., Augsberger, A., & The REACH Youth Advisory Board (2023). Editorial: Key Challenges and Potential Strategies for Engaging Youth with Lived Experience in Clinical Science. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Augsberger, A., *Toraif, N., *Young, A., *Dimitri, N., Garcia, S., Idahor, O., Pierre, J., Lee, C., Jusme, C. & Gergen Barnett, K. (2022). COVID-19 shines a light on health inequities in communities of color in the greater Boston area: A youth-driven photovoice inquiry. Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22866
Augsberger, A., Collins, M., & **Levine, B. (2022). Family engagement in child welfare system-level change: A review of current models. Families in Society: Journal of Contemporary Social Services. https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894211067855 (Awarded FIS 2022 Best Quantitative Article).
Presentations
Augsberger, A. Carroll, M., Howard, R., Ng, G., Maldonado-Reis, T., Amador, A., Morabito, M.S., & Green, J. (2024). Youth Mental Health Crisis Response: A Mixed Methods Study to Map Resources and Identify Facilitators and Barriers to Service Access. Oral presentation, 28th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Augsberger, A. Collins, M. & Levine, B (2024). The promise of municipal youth councils: Exploration of mission, structure and the need for outcome data. Poster presentation, 28th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Augsberger, A., Martone-Levine, K., Zeitlin, W.,Doyle, S., Levine, B., & Tuchman, S. (2024). Family engagement in early intervention services: Exploration of family experiences and outcomes. Poster presentation, 28th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Augsberger, A., Zeitlin, W., Marton-Levine, K., Doyle, S., Levine, B., & Tuchman, S. (2023). Engaging family stories in analysis and perceived impact of early intervention services. Poster presentation, American Public Health Association 2023 Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
Augsberger, A., Collins., & Howard., R. (2023). The global context of youth engagement: A scoping review of youth councils in municipal government. Oral presentation, 27th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Zeiltin, W., Mertens, M., Augsberger, A., & Mason, S. (2023). Parenting at the intersection of disability and race: Prevalence and child welfare involvement. Oral presentation, 27th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Morris, M., Augsberger, A., & Gergen Barnett, K., (2023). Youth advisory boards in healthcare settings: Perspectives from adults. Poster presentation, 27th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Collins, M.E., Augsberger, A., & Levine, B. (2023). Opportunity youth in urban areas: Can youth councils enhance connection to school and work? Urban Affairs Association Conference. Nashville, TN.
Augsberger, A. (2022). Overview on the importance of youth engagement in research: benefits and barriers. Youth Suicide Research Consortium, Third National Conference, Broadcast virtually.
Augsberger, A., Collins, M., & **Levine, B. (2022). Engaging family voice in child welfare program and policy change: Understanding current practice. Poster presentation, 26th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington D.C.
Augsberger, A., *Toraif, N., *Young, A., **Murillo, H., & Gergen Barnett, K. (2022). Youth advisory boards in healthcare settings: An ethnographic study of youth participation in an accountable care organization. Poster presentation, 26th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington D.C.
Grants
2023-2025
Youth-Driven Social Capital Project
Co-Principal Investigator
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. $1,192,076 (PI: Zaff).
2023-2024
Community Engagement Core
Director
The Boston University Clinical & Translational Science Institute (BU CTSI). National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, (1UL1TR001430.) $38,300,000.
2023-2024
Can a youth civic leadership, engagement, and mindfulness program reduce structural racism and support functioning and well-being for youth of color?
Co-Investigator (Qualitative Expert)
National Institutes of Health. 1UG3AT012530-01. $852,878 (PI: Green).
2023-2024
Understanding the Effects of a Family Preservation Program for Parents with Intellectual Disability
Principal Investigator, Boston University Subcontract
National Institute of Health (R03HD110761). $87,549. (PI: Zeitlin/Montclair University).
2022-2023
Examination of Family Leadership and Support Programs
Principal Investigator
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition, Office of Family Initiatives. $29,016.
2022-2023
Understanding the Experiences of Post-Secondary Vocational Education among System-Involved Youth
Co-Principal Investigator
Boston University School of Social Work, Deans Grant. $10,000. (PI: Collins).
2021-2022
Youth Emergency Mental Health Response in Boston.
Co-Principal Investigator
Boston University Initiative on Cities, Pilot Grant. (PI Green). $10,000.
2020-2021
A Data Driven Youth Led Health Promotion Strategy for a Safety Net Accountable Care Organization
Principal Investigator
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Boston University-Clinical & Transitional Science Institute, (1UL1TR001430.) (Co-PI Gergen Barnett). $50,000.
2019-2020
Social Mobility and Research Training (SMART): A workforce development and youth participatory action research program for youth with lived experiences of homelessness
Principal Investigator
Liberty Mutual Foundation. $75,000.
2019-2020
County Child Welfare and University Collaboration: Building Evidence for a Preventive Parenting Intervention for Clients with Intellectual Disabilities
Principal Investigator
Boston University Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health. $15,000.
2018
My Summer in the City, Youth Led Evaluation
Co-Principal Investigator
Boston University School of Social Work, Boston MA. The Boston Foundation and MassHousing. (PI Sprague Martinez). $44,148
Professional Activities and Certifications
2022-present
Youth MOVE National
Board of Directors, Executive Committee Secretary
2021-present
Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model (CBHM) Research Team
Boston Public Schools Behavioral Health Department
Advisory Board Member
2019-present
Coalition on Boston’s Youth Mental Health and Crisis Response
BU Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, BU Wheelock School of Education, and Boston Medical Center Department of Psychiatry
Co-Convener & Advisory Board Member
2019-present
BU Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health
Faculty Affiliate
2015-present
Boston University Initiative on Cities
Faculty Affiliate
2018-present
Youth MOVE National
Best Practices Committee; Research & Evaluation Subcommittee
Advisory Board Member
2019-2020
Trauma Pamphlet Project
Family Resources Center, Boston, MA
Expert Advisor
2018-2019
Community-based Culture of Health Accelerator (CoHA)
Boston Medical Center, Family Medicine Department, Boston, MA
Advisory Board Member
2018
Youth Engagement in Federally Funded Projects
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Expert Advisor
Awards and Honors
Society for Social Work and Research Fellow
2024
Top Cited Article (Years: 2020-2021 & 2021-2022)
American Journal of Community Psychology
“Participatory research approaches with youth: Ethics, engagement, and meaningful action.”
Best Quantitative Article 2022
Families in Society: Contemporary Journal of Social Services
“Family engagement in child welfare system level change: A review of current models.”