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Kaitlin Sheerin

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University
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About Kaitlin

Broadly, Dr. Sheerin's work focuses on improving the behavioral health of youth involved in the juvenile legal system. She is particularly interested in (a) developing, adapting, and evaluating intervention and assessment approaches for complex clinical concerns (e.g., substance use, delinquent and harmful behaviors, suicidal thoughts and behaviors) for youth involved in the system and (b) promoting equitable access to quality behavioral healthcare for these system-involved youth. She also has a secondary interest in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice-related issues in health service psychology training and has published in this area.

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Contributions

Evaluating Social Determinants of Health in Forensic Mental Health Settings Can Help Inform Recommendations for Youth

    Julie Cristello ,
  • Elizabeth J. Van Alstine
  • Miguel Nuñez
  • Lindsey Nichols
  • Kaitlin Sheerin
  • Crosby Modrowski
  • Kathleen Kemp
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Publications

"National Institutes of Health Funding 1990−2019: Research on Youth in the Juvenile Legal System" (with Kathleen Kemp, Suh Jung Park, Jenna Schopen, and Caroline Corvin). Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025): 1-15.

Analyzes 30 years of NIH-funded research on youth involved in the juvenile legal system (JLS) to identify trends in funding and study characteristics. Findings suggest growing interest in JLS-related research but highlight the need for broader funding and research focus beyond substance use and delinquency.

"Does Participation in a Court-Based Trauma-Focused Evaluation Program Influence Permanency Outcomes for Children Involved in the Child Welfare System?" (with Kathleen Kemp, Crosby Modrowski, Kaitlin Sheerin, and Charlene Collibee). Child Protection and Practice 3 (2024).

Examines whether a trauma-focused evaluation program for children in the child welfare system leads to better court and permanency outcomes compared to usual care. Findings suggest that initiatives aimed at identifying mental health concerns and linking children placed in out-of-home to relevant mental health services care can have a significant and positive impact on permanency outcomes.

"The Intersection of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health Concerns for Youth Involved in the Child Welfare System" (with Kaitlin Sheerin, Kathleen Kemp, and Alyssa Vieira). Journal of Community Psychology 51, no. 5 (2023): 2229-2245.

Examines whether child welfare-involved youth show different mental health symptoms based on the types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) they have faced. Findings highlight the need for targeted screening and treatment referrals in the child welfare system based on youths’ specific ACE profiles.

"From Court to the Community: Improving Access to Evidence-Based Treatment for Underserved Youth Involved in the Juvenile Legal System At-Risk for Suicide" (with Kaitlin Sheerin, Kathleen Kemp, Jennifer Wolff, Tim Janssen, Hannah E. Frank, Sydney Velotta, Sara Becker, Lauren M. Weinstock, and Anthony Spirito). BMC Psychiatry 23, no. 320 (2023).

Aims to reduce suicidal and self-injurious behaviors among juvenile legal-involved youth by training community mental health providers in an adapted COping, Problem Solving, Enhancing life, Safety, and Parenting (COPES+) intervention.