The CARE lab is run by Maya Boustani at Loma Linda University. The goal of the CARE lab is to develop academic-research collaborations to reduce mental health disparities for vulnerable youth and families. The research rests on three principles (a) prioritize research-practice partnerships in the design and delivery of services; (b) identify low-cost ways to disseminate evidence-based practices in communities of need, using indigenous resources; and (c) attend closely to workforce and organizational factors that support feasibility, effective implementation, and sustainability of evidence based practice.
About Us image

Maya Mroué Boustani, PhD

Lab Director, Assistant Professor

Star Mugen Lee

Lab Manager, MA Student

Shayna Greenberg

Lab Manager, PhD Student

James Hodgins

PhD Student

Hannah Jutzy

PhD Student

Diana Marin

PhD Student

Erica Mazzone

PhD Student

Veronica Nakla

PhD Student

Lennisha Pinckney

PhD Student

Dina Bashoura

PsyD Student

Chris Blank

PsyD Student

Emma Franklin

PsyD Student

Colin Mahler

PsyD Student

Julia Sanchez

PsyD Student

Gabriela Bagnara

PsyD Student

Jaynish Hazari

PsyD Student

Kelly Vogel

PsyD Student

Chalita Antommarchi

PsyD Student

Talia Banayan

PsyD Student

Savannah Bachar

PsyD Student

Stacy Frazier, PhD

Professor

Florida Institute University

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Christine Lisetti, PhD

Professor

Florida International University

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Sigrid Burruss, MD

Surgeon

Loma Linda University

Daniel Michelson, PhD

Clinical Senior Lecturer

King’s College London, UK

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Leslie Rith-Najarian, PhD

Lecturer

Harvard University

Thomas Engell, Phd

Researcher

Norway

PROJECT eEVA

PROJECT eEVA

This project investigates human-computer interactions with a virtual health agent delivering Motivational Interviewing.

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PROJECT YASP

PROJECT YASP

The purpose of this study is to determine if the Youth Alternative Solutions Program is effective at reducing incarcerations and hospital admissions related to substance use.

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PROJECT SOARing

PROJECT SOARing

The School-Based Opportunities for Adolescent Recovery (SOARing) study examines the preliminary effectiveness of an adolescent DBT-skills group treatment delivered in a school-based setting.

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PROJECT CHWs

PROJECT CHWs

The CHWs project aims to reduce burnout among Community Health Workers providing home visits to under-served families of children experiencing chronic absenteeism from school in San Bernardino.

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PROJECT PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS TRAINING (PSST)

PROJECT PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS TRAINING (PSST)

This project proposes to unpack Problem-Solving as a complex skill set to reduce risk for internalizing problems for young people.

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San Bernardino City Unified School District

We are excited to be partnering with the San Bernardino City Unified School District on mental health and wellness initiatives.

A pilot study to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of training mental health workers in India to select case-specific intervention procedures within a dynamic modular treatment designed for a low-resource setting

A pilot study to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of training mental health workers in India to select case-specific intervention procedures within a dynamic modular treatment designed for a low-resource setting

Kendra S. Knudsen, MA, Kimberly D. Becker, PhD, Karen Guan, PhD, Resham Gellatly, PhD, Vikram H. Patel, MD, Kanika Malik, PhD, Maya M. Boustani, PhD, Sonal Mathur, PhD, Bruce F. Chorpita, PhD

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Common Elements of Childhood Prevention

Common Elements of Childhood Prevention

This article highlights the findings of an analysis of the common elements of childhood universal mental health prevention programming

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Design process and protocol description for a multi-problem mental health intervention within a stepped care approach for adolescents in India

Design process and protocol description for a multi-problem mental health intervention within a stepped care approach for adolescents in India

This paper documents the collaborative design of a mental health intervention for adolescents in India with anxiety, depression, or anger-related concerns.

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Knowing what to do and when to do it: Mental health professionals and the evidence base for treatment engagement

Knowing what to do and when to do it: Mental health professionals and the evidence base for treatment engagement

In this mixed-methods study, we examined whether mental health professionals reported using any solutions from the evidence base and, if so, the extent to which these procedures fit the engagement challenges they encountered.

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Using relevance mapping methodology to design an adolescent mental health intervention in India

Using relevance mapping methodology to design an adolescent mental health intervention in India

This manuscript illustrates the process of identifying candidate practices for inclusion in the development of a protocol for adolescents in India.

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Applications of translation and implementation science to community psychology: An introduction to a special issue

Applications of translation and implementation science to community psychology: An introduction to a special issue

This manuscript introduces concepts of dissemination and implementation science useful to community psychology.

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Development of a transdiagnostic, low-intensity, psychological intervention for common adolescent mental health problems in Indian secondary schools

Development of a transdiagnostic, low-intensity, psychological intervention for common adolescent mental health problems in Indian secondary schools

This paper describes the development of a low-intensity, first-line component of the PRIDE model, a programme that aims to establish a suite of transdiagnostic psychological interventions organised around a stepped care system in Indian secondary schools.

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Provider perceptions about engaging underserved populations in community mental health services

Provider perceptions about engaging underserved populations in community mental health services

This study explored mental health professionals' perceptions about barriers and facilitators to engaging underserved populations. Results revealed that many professionals endorsed barriers to engaging ethnic minorities and families receiving social services.

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Decision-making in mental health care: Measuring provider and supervisor use of evidence

Decision-making in mental health care: Measuring provider and supervisor use of evidence

This study piloted an observational coding system for understanding providers and supervisors' use of evidence in their clinical decision-making.

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A pilot study to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a coordinated intervention design to address treatment engagement challenges in school mental health services

A pilot study to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a coordinated intervention design to address treatment engagement challenges in school mental health services

This pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and initial implementation outcomes of a coordinated knowledge system designed to support the efforts of school mental health professionals to address treatment engagement challenges.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Community Health Workers: Semi-Structured Interviews

Impact of COVID-19 on Community Health Workers: Semi-Structured Interviews

Diane G. Marin, Dina Bashoura, Hannah Jutzy, Maya M. Boustani

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Stepping out on your own and into the community: Launching a community-engaged research program

Park, A., Barnett, M., Boustani, M., Lakind, D., Okamura, K. & Wright, B.

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Now Streaming: Disseminating CBT through Public-Facing Platforms

Moderators: Tommy Chou & Xin Zhao Panelists: Riana Anderson, Maya Boustani, Tommy Chou, Anne Morrow, Eric Youngstrom

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Adolescent engagement in a transdiagnostic mental health treatment delivered in Indian schools

Resham Gellatly, M.A., Maya M. Boustani, Ph.D., Kanika Malik, Ph.D., Daniel Michelson, DClinPsy, Kimberly Becker, Ph.D., Rujuta Mahajan, M.A., Abhijeet Jambhale, M.A., Rooplata Sahu, M.A., Pooja Nair, Vikram Patel, MBBS, Ph.D., Bruce F. Chorpita, Ph.D.

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Virtual Health Agents on Engaging Alcohol Users through a Motivational Interviewing Intervention: Agent Acceptability

Virtual Health Agents on Engaging Alcohol Users through a Motivational Interviewing Intervention: Agent Acceptability

Diane G. Marin, M.A., Jaynish Hazari, MPH, M.A., James Hodgins, M.A., Ubbo Visser, Ph.D., Christine Lisetti, Ph.D., Maya Boustani, Ph.D.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Community Health Workers: Qualitative Analysis of Semi-Structured Interviews

Impact of COVID-19 on Community Health Workers: Qualitative Analysis of Semi-Structured Interviews

Diane G. Marin B.A., Dina Bashoura B.A., Hannah Jutzy, M.A., Maya M. Boustani Ph.D.

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A needs assessment of low-income students attending an alternative high school: Qualitative findings

A needs assessment of low-income students attending an alternative high school: Qualitative findings

Kelly Vogel, B.S., Megan White, B.A., Valerie Watts, B.A., Talia Banayan, B.A., Maya Boustani, PhD

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Shelter Staff Perceptions of Domestic Violence in Higher Socioeconomic Status Populations

Shelter Staff Perceptions of Domestic Violence in Higher Socioeconomic Status Populations

Gabriela Bagnara, Maya Boustani, Kelly Vogel, Savannah Bachar, Ellen Reibling, Barbara Hernandez

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Who is Seeking Shelter: Staff Descriptions of Intimate Partner Violence Shelter Characteristics and Services Provided

Who is Seeking Shelter: Staff Descriptions of Intimate Partner Violence Shelter Characteristics and Services Provided

Gabriela Bagnara, Kelly Vogel, Savannah Bachar, Maya Boustani, Barbara Hernandez, Ellen Reibling

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RACIAL JUSTICE* image
This page is regularly updated and includes resources related to racial justice that are applicable to children and adolescent mental health:

Coping with Racial Trauma (University of Georgia)
Interested Students image
Thank you for your interest in joining the CARE lab. Although we would love to take in all students interested in our work, we have limited slots (vary year to year based on Dr. Boustani's other obligations). You may be able to participate in one of our research studies by helping with data collection, analysis or other tasks without necessarily having your dissertation chaired by Dr. Boustani. Please discuss these options with Dr. Boustani directly.

If you are interested in joining the lab, please consider the following steps: 

Fall and Winter of your first year:
  • Email Dr. Boustani a copy of your CV, your transcript, and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in working in the lab and what project you are interested in working on (see a list of projects here: https://www.thecarelabllu.com/research-projects). If you are interested in an independent project, please make the case in your cover letter about how it fits with the lab's mission and Dr. Boustani's areas of expertise. 
  • Attend a CARE lab meeting. If your schedule prevents that, please arrange to watch a recording of one of our meetings.
Dr. Boustani will let you know of acceptance into the lab by Spring of your first year (at the latest).

If you join the lab, you agree to the following:
  • Attend weekly lab meetings
  • Donate 5 to 10 hours per week to data collection  / data analysis of various ongoing projects
  • Develop a research project (doc project or dissertation) that is related to an ongoing study in the lab in part or in whole (I recommend that PsyDs pick to use data from an ongoing study)
  • Discuss with Dr. Boustani before volunteering your time in any other work (working in another lab, TAship, supplemental practicum experiences or even work outside the lab )
  • Follow timelines for doctoral project completion, as outlined by Dr. Boustani
Our lab handbook is available here
Assessment Center: The assessment batteries  ask questions about the most common psychological disorders. Upon the completion of the questionnaire, you will get your results and additional resources. You will also get the option to download a PDF of your results, which may be helpful for consulting a clinician or for your own documentation.

Effective Child Therapy: Information about accessing evidence-based therapies, the most common psychological disorders in children and more.

MyndHealth: Skill-building to promote mental wellness.

Other Resources:

A Guide to Teletherapy

Never Give Up: A Complex Trauma Film by Youth for Youth

How to Deal with Anxiety 

Guided Meditations

Child Relaxation Scripts

Resources for Youth Wellbeing
Community Resources  image