Research & Impact
Research & Impact
Selected Publications & Products by URSOS Team
A. A.Stiles, M. C.Heatly, and L. J.Shipley, “Connecting for Kids: A Model for Fostering Collaboration Between Education and Pediatrics to Support Youth Behavioral Health,” Journal of School Health, 96, no. 4 (2026): e70134
https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.70134.
Stiles, A. (2025). Understanding MTSS & Special Education Services: Resources for Providers & Families. Rochester, NY: C4K Special Education Workgroup.
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/connecting-for-kids/cross-sector-collaboration-resources-tools
Stiles, A. & Heatly, M. (2025). NYS Distraction-Free Schools Resource Toolkit. Rochester, NY: Distraction-Free Schools Workgroup.
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/connecting-for-kids/cross-sector-collaboration-resources-tools
Augenstern, J., Rice, K., Stiles, A., Hanlon, K., & Heatly, M (2024). School Refusal in the Wake of COVID-19: The Role of School-Family-Community Partnerships. In Psychology Coalition at the United Nations (PCUN) Paper Series #3.
https://psychologycoalitionun.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/PCUN-Paper-Series-3.pdf
Heatly, M. C., Nichols-Hadeed, C., Stiles, A. A., & Alpert-Gillis, L. (2023). Implementation of a school mental health learning collaborative model to support cross-sector collaboration. School Mental Health, 15(2), 384-401.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-023-09578-x
Malcolm, K. T., Taylor, K. K., Mitchell, J., Saile, M., Heatly, M., & Alpert-Gillis, L. J. (2019). Why, what, and how: Training community clinicians on evidence-based practice for youth mental health. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 13(4), 279.
https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2019-22455-001
Scharf, M. A., Alpert-Gillis, L. J., Wyman, P. A., White, A. M., Cerulli, C., …Wilson, J. (2016). Crisis in Care: Gaps in Behavioral Health Services Are Failing Our Children. Retrieved from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation.
http://www.thegrhf.org/wp-content/uploads/Crisis-in-Care-Report-2016.pdf
Current Funding for School Mental Health
UR-Supporting Our Students
PI: Melissa Heatly, PhD, Co-PI: Allison Stiles, PhD
UR Supporting Our Students is a SAMHSA-supported initiative that enhances the capacity of middle and high school educators within the NY Finger Lakes region to support adolescents with behavioral health needs, including those with serious emotional disturbances. This is accomplished via 1) implementation of a Project ECHO® paired with Youth Mental Health First Aid and 2) development of new adolescent BH toolkits and referral streams.
C4K – Connecting for Kids
PI: Allison Stiles, PhD, Collaborators: LJ Shipley, MD and Melissa Heatly, PhD
Connecting for Kids (C4K) is a community-developed initiative that fosters effective collaboration among school teams, primary care practices, and parents/caregivers to support the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents. Our C4K mission is to enhance interprofessional collaboration between critical systems of care to better address the physical health, behavioral health, and academic needs of children and teens.
Learn more about Connecting for Kids
SHAPE UP New York
SHAPE Up New York is a state-funded, six-month learning collaborative led by the New York State Office of Mental Health in partnership with the University of Rochester Medical Center, designed to help school districts across New York assess and enhance the quality of their school mental health systems. District teams receive professional development, technical assistance, and coaching to pilot evidence-based practices that strengthen comprehensive school mental health supports.
Learn more about SHAPE UP New York
Growing Resilience (Recovery Center of Excellence)
PI: Melissa Heatly, PhD, Co-PI: Allison Stiles, PhD, and Kenya Malcolm, PhD
Growing Resilience is a HRSA-sponsored initiative focused on trauma-informed SUD prevention for rural youth in the Southern Tier. Our goal is to collaborate with rural communities’ system of care to adapt and implement a model of evidence-informed interventions designed to identify and mitigate the impact of trauma on young people, and prevent later development of SUD. We use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to identify, adapt, and apply trauma-informed prevention and early intervention tools and strategies applied within the rural SOC.
Learn more about Growing Resilience
Expanded Access to Child Health for EACH Youth in RCSD
Team: LJ Shipley, MD; Jeff Kaczarowski, MD; & the EACH Youth In RCSD – A Collaboration Across Golisano Children’s Hospital; UR Med Department of Child Psychiatry/Psychology; Community Initiatives and School-Based Health, Rochester Regional Health; and Student Health and Support Services, Rochester City School District
Children and youth in the City of Rochester experience disproportionately high rates of behavioral health (BH) needs and face significant barriers to accessing care. The EACH Initiative is a transformative, cross-sector collaboration among the Rochester City School District (RCSD), GCH/URMC, Rochester Regional Health, Jordan Health, community-based partners, and youth and families. Together, these stakeholders are working to reimagine and redesign care delivery to improve access to high-quality, equitable physical and mental health services for children and youth.
EACH integrates six key components into a coordinated system of care:
- Advanced School-Based Telemedicine embedded in all 40 RCSD schools, linking students to physical and behavioral healthcare without leaving school;
- Expanded School-Based Mental Health Services through a consortium approach to increase coordination and access;
- Connecting for Kids (C4K), a structured cross-sector dialogue model to build trust and enhance communication across schools, primary care, and families;
- Project ECHO, a virtual training series for educators to increase capacity for mental health support;
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics services, including streamlining access to autism diagnostic evaluations and care for students with developmental disabilities;
- Family and Youth Engagement, with advisory boards and co-design efforts to ensure care is grounded in lived experience.
Resilient Roots (Mt Hope)
Team: Sheree Tooth, PhD, Jody Todd-Manley, PhD, Allison Stiles, PhD, Linda Alpert-Gillis, PhD, & Delta Koudaya-Keith, MPH, LMHC, NCC
The Resilient Roots study is enrolling youth of color ages 10-15 and their caregiver. The study will evaluate an intervention approach using Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with and without an enhanced racial identity component. The aim of the study is to improve coping strategies for youth of color and reduce mental health symptoms.