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Panel Discussions

Child and adolescent mental health

Community-Centered Approaches to Implementing Evidence-Based Interventions in Youth Mental Health

Panel Discussion 4 - Community-centered Approaches to Implementing Evidence-based Interventions in Youth Mental Health

Friday, June 26, 2026
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PDT
Location: Yerba Buena Salon 12, B3 Level
Earn 1.5 Credit
Keywords: Community-Based, Mental Health Disparities, School/School-Based Interventions
Level of Familiarity: All
Recommended Readings: Wong, J., Xu, T., Shah, C., Miccoli, L., Chauhan, J., Inigo, N. G., Pfeffer, K., Slachevsky, D. E., Holman, A., Wong, E., Day, H., Ganesh, K., Assoudeh, E., Kohrt, B. A., & Brown, A. D. (2025). Community-based adaptation of early adolescent skills for emotions for urban adolescents and caregivers in New York City. Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health, 12, e107. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2025.10045,   Galbraith, K., Tarbox, J., & Huey, S. J. (2023). Assessing the Feasibility of Peer Coach Training for Disruptive Middle School Youth: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32(6), 1753–1764. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02504-w,   Becker, K. D., & Chorpita, B. F. (2023). Future Directions in Youth and Family Treatment Engagement: Finishing the Bridge Between Science and Service. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 52(2), 284–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2023.2169926,   ,  

    Moderator(s)

  • JW

    Janus Wong, B.A. (she/her/hers)

    Doctoral Student
    University of Southern California
    Los Angeles, California, United States

    • Panelist(s)

  • Adam Brown, Ph.D.

    Professor of Psychology
    The New School for Social Research
    New York City, New York, United States

  • TX

    Tina Xu, M.A.

    Doctoral Student
    New School for Social Research
    New York, New York, United States

  • Karina Gonzalez Perez, B.A.

    Research Coordinator
    New School for Social Research
    New York, New York, United States

  • Carlos Alvarez, M.A.

    Founder and President
    Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices
    Los Angeles, California, United States

Mental health disparities among ethnically marginalized youth in the United States remain a significant public health concern, shaped by systemic inequities that limit access to care. This panel examines how evidence-based interventions grounded in cognitive-behavioral principles, trauma-informed practices, and culturally-responsive frameworks can promote youth mental health by engaging young people, educators, and community members.
Drawing from research and applied work in school and community settings, the panel will highlight how these approaches apply cognitive-behavioral principles (e.g., interconnection of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, behavioral activation, and problem-solving) to strengthen youths’ emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and interpersonal skills: Adam Brown, Tina Xu, and Karina Gonzalez Perez (The New School) will present on the adaptation and ongoing pilot implementation of the World Health Organization’s and UNICEF’s Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions, a cognitive-behavioral-therapy-based intervention, in New York City to increase the accessibility of youth mental health services through engaging community members in intervention delivery; Janus Wong (University of Southern California) will present on the development and implementation (ongoing randomized controlled trial) of Peer Coach Training, a strengths-based intervention engaging discipline-referred middle school students as peer change agents in Los Angeles; Carlos Alvarez (Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices) will present on Right Brain Restorative Practices training for school staff emphasizing co-regulation, relational safety, and behavior as communication.
The discussion concludes by examining facilitators and barriers to implementation, including non-specialist training and supervision, ethical considerations, community engagement, and sustainability. Collectively, the panel reframes cognitive-behavioral interventions as scalable, community-centered approaches grounded in human connection, cultural humility, and skill development to build capacity and address gaps in youth mental health services.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe how community-centered cognitive-behavioral practices might address gaps in youth mental health services through capacity building.
  • Explain existing research on evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral practices for reducing youth distress symptoms and behavioral challenges.
  • Identify key intervention components that drive regulation, engagement, and sustained wellbeing among ethnically marginalized youth.