Background Latoya Haynes-Thoby, PhD, NCC, LPC, is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut focused on trauma, resilience, and thriving
School Climate
Steering Committee Member: Ravit Stein
Background Ravit R Stein, PhD, BCBA-D, NCSP, is the Director of Psychological and Behavioral Consultation at EASTCONN
UConn Today
UConn Centers Offer Free Professional Development to Local School Wellness Teams – September 13, 2023
Affiliate Profile: Rocio Chang-Angulo
Background Rocio Chang-Angulo, Psy.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UConn Health and is a researcher, teacher, and clinician who focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of psychological trauma in children, adolescents and adults
UConn Today
National LGBTQ+ Survey Finds Many Teens Out to Family, Hopeful for Future; Problem Areas Remain – September 11, 2023
Gender Minority Youth: Links between State Laws, Region, and Gender Affirmation Experiences
A CSCH Brief by Benton M. Renley, Ryan J. Watson, and Helene M. Marcy
Emotional Well-being: Next Steps in Research
Brief #4 in a Series by Jessica B. Koslouski, Oscar Ruiz, Helene M. Marcy, and Sandra M. Chafouleas
Emotional Well-being: How do we Measure it?
Brief #3 in a Series by Jessica B. Koslouski, Oscar Ruiz, Helene M. Marcy, and Sandra M. Chafouleas
Emotional Well-being: Contributors and Consequences
Brief #2 in a Series by Jessica B. Koslouski, Helene M. Marcy, Oscar Ruiz, and Sandra M. Chafouleas
What is Emotional Well-being?
Brief #1 in a Series by Jessica B. Koslouski, Oscar Ruiz, Helene M. Marcy, and Sandra M. Chafouleas
UConn Today
Confronting America’s Gun Violence Epidemic(s) – July 11, 2023
UConn Today
UConn Faculty Awarded $2M in Federal Funding to Support School Wellness in CT – June 16, 2023
CSCH and Rudd Center Receive Federal Funding to Support Comprehensive School Wellness
CSCH and the UConn Rudd Center have jointly received CDC funding to protect and improve the health and well-being of school-age children and adolescents
UConn Today
Feel Your Best Self Collaborative Puppetry Project Wins Telly Awards – June 7, 2023
UConn Today
Pioneering Puppet Project ‘Feel Your Best Self’ Coming to More Screens Near You – June 5, 2023
Yahoo Finance
3 Ways To Support Mental Health at Work – June 1, 2023
Episode 21: Restorative Justice and the School-Based Diversion Initiative
A discussion about an initiative in Connecticut that uses restorative practices to reduce juvenile justice involvement and improve school mental health outcomes.
Affiliate Profile: Emma Zuk
Background Emma Zuk will soon receive her PhD from UConn in the Department of Kinesiology, focusing on physical activity engagement in children
Episode 20: Why Social and Emotional Learning Matters – the Work of Chris Cipriano and Team
Chris Cipriano, Assistant Professor at the Yale Child Study Center and Director of the Education Collaboratory at Yale talks about her team’s work in social emotional learning.
The Daily Campus
UConn Waterbury’s W.I.S.H. Festival was a stunning success – April 20, 2023
UConn Today
UConn Waterbury Plays Host to First-Ever W.I.S.H. Fest – April 19, 2023
Episode 19: The Impact of Gun Violence on Kids’ Health
Founders of the UConn Center for Advancing, Research, Methods, and Scholarship in Gun Injury Prevention talk about the impact of gun violence on kids’ health and the policies and practices that can address gun violence prevention.
UConn Today
Teenage Composer, Producer of Feel Your Best Self Theme Song: ‘It All Will Be OK’ – March 15, 2023
Edutopia
How Puppets Can Help Kids Express Emotions – March 10, 2023
WFSB Great Day
Helping kids feel being their best selves with puppets – February 24, 2023
The WSCC Blueprints: Guides for Implementing Practices and Policies Aligned with the WSCC Model
A CSCH Brief by Kathleen M. Williamson, Jessica B. Koslouski, Helene M. Marcy & Sandra M. Chafouleas
UConn Today
Feel Your Best Self Collaborative Project Wins Kidscreen Award – February 15, 2023
Affiliate Profile: Kathleen Williamson
Background Kathleen Williamson, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with both CSCH and the Neag School of Education’s Department of Educational Psychology
Feel Your Best Self Wins Kidscreen Award
The Feel Your Best Self toolkit, developed by CSCH and the UConn Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, has won a 2023 Kidscreen Award, recognizing it as being among the “best children’s TV and digital media content in the world.”
Episode 18: The WSCC Blueprints – helping schools integrate health and learning
CSCH Postdoctoral Scholars Jessica Koslouski and Kathleen Williamson describe the CSCH WSCC Blueprint tools geared to helping schools implement the WSCC model.
Steering Committee Member: Damion Grasso
Background Damion Grasso, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine
UConn Today
Feel Your Best Self Collaborative Project Nominated for Kidscreen Award – December 19, 2022
UConn Today
Developing High School Students into Data Scientists – December 19, 2022
CT Mirror
A Sandy Hook reflection: Gun violence is preventable — if we want – December 14, 2022
Episode 16: Puppets and Emotional Well-being – The Making of the Feel Your Best Self Project
CSCH Director of Programs & Communications Helene Marcy interviews the creators of Feel Your Best Self, a toolkit that uses puppets to teach children strategies that promote emotional well-being.
UConn Today
Pandemic Journaling Project Continues to Grow and Develop – December 7, 2022
UConn Today
For Adolescents, Word Choice Matters When Talking About Body Weight – December 2, 2022
Kidscreen
Streamers rule Kidscreen Awards nominations – November 29, 2022
NPR
In one first-grade classroom, puppets teach children to ‘shake out the yuck’ – November 11, 2022
Affiliate Profile: Rachel Chazen Cohen
Background Dr. Rachal Chazan Cohen Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Human Development and Family Sciences Department at the University of Connecticut. Her main research interest is in how early childhood programs support children’s development and family well-being
UConn Today
Helping Schools Put ‘Whole Child’ into Policy and Practice – September 20, 2022
New CSCH Steering Committee Members
We are pleased to announce that we have three new CSCH Steering Committee Members joining us this fall
The Conversation
School mental health resources critical to ensuring safe school environments – June 7, 2022
How do School Policies Align with the WSCC Model? A Connecticut Evaluation
A CSCH Brief by Helene M. Marcy, Sandra M. Chafouleas, Marlene B. Schwartz, and Sarah L. McKee
CT Mirror
To end gun violence we need to address poverty – May 31, 2022
Episode 15: The State of Social Emotional Learning in Connecticut
CSCH Co-Director Sandra Chafouleas interviews a panel of experts on the state of social emotional learning in Connecticut.
UConn Today
Standing Against Despair – May 26, 2022
UConn Today
Feel Your Best Self: Educators, Puppets Unite to Teach Kids About Emotions – May 11, 2022
UConn Today
Gun Violence Misinformation Panel Speaks to Creating Informed Policy Debate – April 26, 2022
The UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health
Learn about CSCH and what we’ve accomplished so far. 
Affiliate Profile: Jessica Koslouski
Background Jessica Koslouski, PhD is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Collaboratory on School and Child Health at UConn and in the Department of Educational Psychology in the UConn Neag School of Education
UConn Today
Study: International Support for Policies to Address Weight-Based Bullying & Discrimination – November 4, 2021
UConn Today
New Research Study to Investigate — and Address — Teacher Stress – October 12, 2021
Supporting Well-Being: Six Tips Anyone Can Use During Times of Uncertainty
A CSCH Tip Sheet by Jessica Koslouski
Episode 12: Using Peer Influence to Reduce Weight-Based Bullying
CSCH Affiliate Leah Lessard discusses her research on the role popular peers may play in reducing weight-based bullying in schools.
Affiliate Profile: Gio Iacono
Background Gio Iacono, PhD is an Assistant Professor in UConn’s School of Social Work and is a psychotherapist and clinical social worker by training
Q & A with CSCH Co-Director Beth Russell
We are pleased to announce that Beth Russell, Associate Professor in HDFS and CSCH Steering Committee member, has taken on the role of CSCH Co-Director. Russell recently answered some questions about how she became interested in her field and what drew her to CSCH.
The Conversation
Students are returning to school with anxiety, grief and gaps in social skills – will there be enough school mental health resources? – August 23, 2021
WSCC Resources for Schools
CSCH is pleased to announce its NEW Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model (WSCC) resources for schools
WellSAT WSCC: A Comprehensive Tool for Evaluating School Wellness Policies
A CSCH Brief by Breanna McFarlane, Sandra M. Chafouleas, Marlene B. Schwartz, Helene M. Marcy, Jessica Koslouski, and Emily Iovino
Back to School Resources: Aligning Guidance with the WSCC Model, V3
A CSCH Crosswalk written by Emily A. Iovino, Sandra M. Chafouleas, and Hanna Y. Perry
UConn Today
Free Academy Coaches School Leaders in Supporting Well-Being – August 12, 2021
UConn Today
UConn Researcher Adapting Mindfulness Program for LGBTQIA+ Youth for Online Use – August 5, 2021
UConn Today
Adolescents Report Increase in Weight Stigma on Social Media during COVID-19 Pandemic – July 28, 2021
The Conversation
Pandemic has teens feeling worried, unmotivated and disconnected from school – July 22, 2021
UConn Today
Neag School Researcher Testing Strategies to Support Teachers’ Intervention Implementation – July 15, 2021
Q & A on the UConn Mind-Body Health Research Interest Group
CSCH Affiliate Melissa Bray is one of the directors of the UConn Mind-Body Health Research Interest Group. Bray recently answered some questions about how she got interested in mind-body health (MBH), why it’s beneficial and how schools can incorporate MBH interventions into their SEL curriculum.
The Conversation
Bringing ‘behavioral vaccines’ to school: 5 ways educators can support student well-being – April 8, 2021
The CT Mirror
Reopening schools requires doing less, better – April 7, 2021
The Conversation
How social media turns online arguments between teens into real-world violence – April 5, 2021
Affiliate Profile: Fumiko Hoeft
Background Fumiko Hoeft MD, PhD is a Professor of Psychological Sciences, Director of the Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC) at UConn, and Director of Laboratory for Learning Engineering and Neural Systems (brainLENS) at UConn/University of California San Francisco. She is a psychiatrist and neurophysiologist by training, turned developmental cognitive neuroscientist
Q&A on the Pandemic Journaling Project
CSCH Affiliate Sarah Willen is one of the founders of the Pandemic Journaling Project. Willen recently answered some questions about how it started, the recent inclusion of older adolescents as participants, and how teachers can incorporate the site as a resource.
UConn Today
Q&A: Supporting Your Child’s Well-Being During the Pandemic – February 24, 2021
Reopening Schools Requires Doing Less, Better
A CSCH and CBER Position Statement by George Sugai and Sandra M. Chafouleas”
Impact of COVID-19 on the Well-being of Caregivers of Children with and without Disabilities: a Six-Month Follow-up
A CSCH Brief by Hannah Y. Perry, Emily A. Iovino, Jacqueline M. Caemmerer, and Sandra M. Chafouleas
The Daily Campus
‘Teen Suicide During COVID-19: The Second Crisis In Our Schools’ looks at how to solve a dire problem – February 18, 2021
The Perkins Platform
Teen Suicide During COVID-19: The Second Crisis In Our Schools – February 17, 2021
The New York Times
‘Right Now Feels So Long and Without Any End in Sight’ – February 15, 2021
UConn 360 Podcast
Episode 78: The Voice of the Huskies – February 10, 2021
Affiliate Profile: Caitlin Lombardi
Background Caitlin Lombardi, Ph.D is an Assistant Professor in UConn’s Department of Human Development and Family Sciences . Her primary research interests are the role of family, early care and education, school, and community in promoting cognitive, language, socioemotional, and health outcomes and the ways in which socioeconomic disadvantage is related to children’s development
The CT Mirror
Trump’s reaction to defeat further confirms urgency for school focus on social emotional skills – January 19, 2021
Affiliate Profile: Emily Iovino
Background Emily Iovino, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Research Associate for the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH) and is also a school psychologist. Her primary areas of research are centered on the primary caregivers of children with developmental disabilities
The Conversation
COVID-19 means a lot more work for families of children with disabilities, but schools can help – December 16, 2020
Episode 10: CSCH Spotlight on Well-being During COVID: Child Wellness
CSCH Steering Committee member Jeana Bracey, CSCH Affiliate Damion Grasso, and Michelle Doucette Cunningham discuss what schools and communities can do to promote child wellness during COVID-19.
Episode 9: CSCH Spotlight on Well-being During COVID: Family Wellness
CSCH Steering Committee members Alice Forrester and Beth Russell, along with CSCH Postdoctoral Scholar Emily Iovino, discuss what schools and communities can do to promote family wellness.
Connecticut School Administrator Perspectives on Shifting Priorities During COVID-19
A CSCH Brief by Sandra M. Chafouleas, Emily A. Iovino, Marlene B. Schwartz, & Helene M. Marcy
UConn Today
UConn Researcher Receives CDC Grant to Develop Social Media-Based Intervention to Prevent Gun Injury – October 20, 2020
A 2020 Focus on the Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Well-Being of College Students
A CSCH Brief by Emily A. Iovino, Jannell Brown, Alyssa Bunyea, Breanna McFarlane, Angel Ojide, Hannah Perry, Daniel Schwartzman, Cyrus Smith, and Sandra M. Chafouleas
Mapping Promising Alternative Approaches to Exclusionary Practices in U.S. Schools
A CSCH Crosswalk written by Sandra M. Chafouleas, Amy M. Briesch, Jennifer N. Dineen, and Helene M. Marcy
UConn Today
Schooling, Caregiving, and Emotional Support during COVID – October 7, 2020
Using Restorative Practices with a Virtual Peace Room
A CSCH Brief written by Caitlin Elsaesser, Aditi Das and Helene Marcy
Episode 7: The Potential Impact of Sport and Physical Activity on Youth Living in Poverty
CSCH Affiliate Jesse Mala discusses his research looking at the relationship between sport & physical activity and working memory & perceptions of school climate among youth living in poverty.
UConn Today
Weight Stigma Predicts Emotional Distress and Binge Eating During COVID-19 – September 10, 2020
Disability Scoop
Pandemic Hitting Families Of Those With Disabilities Harder – August 28, 2020
Episode 6: The NEEDs2 Project
CSCH Co-Director Sandra Chafouleas and Amy Briesch of Northeastern University discuss the IES-funded NEEDs2 project that explored what school personnel and families think about the role for schools in student social, emotional, and behavioral screening.
Caregiver Voices: The Initial Impact of COVID-19 on Caregivers of Children with and without Disabilities
A CSCH Brief written by Emily A. Iovino, Sandra M. Chafouleas, Alyssa Bunyea, and Hannah Y. Perry
Initial Impact of COVID-19 on the Well-being of Caregivers of Children with and without Disabilities
A CSCH Brief written by Sandra M. Chafouleas and Emily A. Iovino
UConn Today
Strategies for Fostering an Emotionally Safe School Environment – July 10, 2020
Responding to COVID-19: Simple Strategies Anyone Can Use to Foster an Emotionally Safe School Environment
A CSCH Report written by Sandra M. Chafouleas, Taylor A. Koriakin, Emily A. Iovino, Jeana Bracey, & Helene M. Marcy
Neag Foundation Provides CSCH with Two-year Grant
The Neag Foundation has provided the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health with a two-year grant to facilitate work in the Think about the Link Project
UConn Today
Many LGBTQ Teens Report Bullying that Extends Beyond Their Sexual and Gender Orientations – June 15, 2020
Hartford Courant
Our Teens are missing so many milestones, but there are things we can do – June 14, 2020
Responding to COVID-19: Planning for Trauma-Informed Assessment in Schools
A CSCH Report written by Sandra M. Chafouleas and Helene M. Marcy
The Conversation
5 things college students should include in a plan for their wellness – April 27, 2020
CT Voice
The Agony of Youth – March 1, 2020
Using Kindness Activities to Promote Positive Social Interactions in Middle School
A CSCH Brief by CSCH Undergraduate Researcher Breanna McFarlane
UConn Today
Exploring the School-Age Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health Landscape – January 31, 2020
Family Engagement Strategies: Aligning the CT SDE Framework and CSCH Evidence-Informed Practices
A Crosswalk written by Emily A. Iovino and Sandra M. Chafouleas
Episode 4: LGBTQ Youth and Substance Abuse
CSCH Affiliate Ryan Watson discusses his research on sexual and gender minority youth and their substance abuse. (Part 2 of two episodes on Dr. Watson’s research).
Scientific American
The War on Childhood Obesity Needs a War on Blame – November 22, 2019
WellSAT WSCC 2.0
The WellSAT WSCC is a school policy evaluation tool aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, and Whole Child (WSCC) model that builds on the history of the WellSAT, which is an evaluation tool for evaluation of school wellness policy.
UConn Today
CSCH Co-Hosts Second Symposium on Trauma-Informed Mental Health – October 29, 2019
Education Week
There’s More to College Prep Than Academics – October 22, 2019
UConn Today
App Endgame: Detect Dyslexia Earlier – October 7, 2019
Episode 2: What is the WellSAT WSCC?
CSCH Co-Director Sandra Chafouleas and CSCH Steering Committee Member Marlene Schwartz discuss their work developing the WellSAT WSCC Tool.
Introducing the WellSAT WSCC Tool
The UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health and the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity are pleased to announce the release of the WellSAT WSCC, a comprehensive school policy evaluation tool aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.
Remodeling Adolescent Risk for Sexual Violence
A CSCH Brief by CSCH Undergraduate Researcher Corona Zhang
The End of “Because I Said So”: Positive Social and Emotional Responsiveness
A CSCH Brief written by CSCH Undergraduate Researcher Ireti Adegbesan
NPR
Praise, Don’t Tease, And Other Tips To Help Kids With Their Weight – August 25, 2019
The CT Mirror
We need trauma-informed preschool practices – August 22, 2019
Connecticut Post
UConn study: Weight-related bullying leads to poor health outcomes for LGBTQ youth – June 2, 2019
Thinking About the Link Between Health and Learning CSCH Video Series
Our video modules provide an overview of the WSCC Model and its ten domains:
Steering Committee Member: Beth Russell
Background Beth Russell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and is the Director of the Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD), a CSCH partner. Russell studies self-regulation, in particular the regulation of psychological distress.
Public Health House and CSCH Gun Policy Prevention Panel
On April 2, 2019 CSCH collaborated with the Public Health House Learning Community, the School of Nursing, and the Human Rights Institute to host an event entitled Gun Violence Prevention: A Public Health Imperative during National Public Health Week.
Steering Committee Member: Sandra Chafouleas
Background Sandra Chafouleas is the Co-Director of CSCH as a well as a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education at UConn. Before turning to research, Chafouleas was a school psychologist in a variety of settings
UConn Today
LGBTQ Teens Face High Rate of Weight-Based Bullying – February 7, 2019
CSCH #schoolequity Twitter Chat
Together with the UConn Neag School of Education, CSCH cohosted a Twitter Chat about the importance of bridging the gap between home and school for diverse students on Monday, October 10, 2018. The chat was co-sponsored by El Instituto and Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo, Postdoctoral Researcher in the Neag School of Education, was the featured guest
WSCC Toolkit
The WSCC Toolkit helps schools incorporate the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model into decision-making and the integration of health and learning. It includes tools like practice briefs and planning blueprints to guide work in the coordination of policies, processes, and practices relevant to school and child well-being.
The Importance of School-Home Intersections: Language, Culture, and Health in the Florida Heartland
CSCH Live Talk by Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo, PhD – October 2017
New England Psychologist
School psychologists: In a class of their own – July 7, 2018
UConn Today
LGBTQ Teens Experiencing High Levels of Stress, says National Survey – May 15, 2018
The Washington Post
Starbucks Classrooms, Plus Six Other New Approaches in Education – April 3, 2018
Teacher Wellbeing: Secure Your Own Oxygen Mask First Before Attending to Others
CSCH Live Talk by Lisa Sanetti, PhD – October 2017 
Husky Sport
Funded by USDA SNAP-Ed, local foundations, AmeriCorps and private donations, Husky Sport is a sport based youth development program operating as a community-campus partnership between Hartford’s North End and UConn’s Neag School of Education. Husky Sport emphasizes nutritional education, physical activity, transferrable life skills, and academic enrichment with K-12 grade students both in school and […]
NEEDs2
Funded by the National Center for Education Research, Institute for Education Sciences, the National Exploration of Emotional/Behavioral Detection in School Screening (NEEDs2) project aims to understand if and how social, emotional, and behavioral screeners are being used in schools, and what factors influence use.
Effectiveness of Brain Breaks to Improve Physical Literacy
The overall objective is to establish the preliminary effectiveness of a video-based exercise intervention, or “BrainErgizersTM,” that can be incorporated into the school day as a classroom physical activity brain break. For more information, contact: Lindsay DiStefano
Think about the Link Project
Funded through the UConn OVPR’s Research Excellence Program, the Neag Foundation, and individual donors, this project facilitates school efforts in integrating health and learning. Schools can enhance their support systems by incorporating the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model in decision-making across academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and physical domains of functioning. Project materials […]
New Haven Register
Clifford Beers Program Turns Stress and Trauma into Positive Outcomes – October 3, 2016
UConn Today
Support Increasing for Laws Against Weight-Based Bullying – April 26, 2016