CSCH facilitates opportunities for interested researchers to collaborate on projects of common interest as related to school and child health topics. As such, CCSH provides a valuable role in recognizing existing work conducted across and within other groups, organizations, and agencies, and connecting partnerships that can enhance individual efforts.
Primary coordination of CSCH occurs through the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP) and the Neag School of Education in collaboration with other University of Connecticut schools and departments.
CSCH leadership includes two co-directors and a steering committee comprised of university researchers and community stakeholders engaged in school and child health efforts with focus on research partnerships. The steering committee is comprised of no more than 12 university-based members and no more than 3 community-based members. Each steering committee member agrees to serve a two-year term, which may be renewable. CSCH affiliates are invited to apply to become steering committee members. New steering committee members are selected by current members based on review of the overall composition of the committee to ensure adequate balance across WSCC domains.
SANDRA M. CHAFOULEAS
CSCH Co-Director
Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Neag Endowed Professor of Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education
Expertise: behavior assessment, school mental health, coordinated school health
BETH RUSSELL
CSCH Co-Director
Associate Professor in HDFS and Director of the Center for Applied Research in Human Development
Expertise: community partnerships, program evaluation, parent-child relationships, development of emotion regulation
STEERING COMMITTEE 2021-22
JEANA BRACEY
Associate Vice President of School and Community Initiatives, CHDI, Inc.
Expertise: school-based mental and behavioral health, school-family-community partnerships, juvenile justice diversion
LINDSAY DISTEFANO
Professor in Kinesiology
Expertise: physical health,
injury prevention in children
ALICE FORRESTER
CEO, Clifford Beers Clinic
Director, New Haven Trauma Coalition
Member, Sandy Hook Commission
Expertise: mental health in children, families, and communities in Connecticut
KATHRYN LIBAL
Associate Professor in Social Work
and Director of the
Human Rights Institute
Expertise: social welfare, children’s rights movements, human rights, social work
E. CAROL POLIFRONI
Professor of Nursing
Expertise: learning communities, nursing education, community partnerships
LISA H. SANETTI
Professor in
Educational Psychology
Expertise: educators’ wellness, implementation of effective practices, educator-student relationships
MARLENE SCHWARTZ
Professor in HDFS and
Director of the Rudd Center
Expertise: food policy, obesity prevention
STAFF
EMILY IOVINO
CSCH Postdoctoral Scholar
Expertise: caregiver health and well-being,
school-based social, emotional,
and behavioral supports
HELENE MARCY
CSCH Program Manager
Expertise: poverty-related issues and
policies, community partnerships,
survey research
EMILY IOVINO
CSCH Postdoctoral Scholar
Expertise: caregiver health and well-being, school-based social, emotional, and behavioral supports
JESSICA KOSLOUSKI
CSCH Postdoctoral Scholar
Expertise: trauma-informed schools implementation, child and adolescent mental health, design-based research, data visualization
HELENE MARCY
CSCH Director of Programs & Communications
Expertise: poverty-related issues and
policies, community partnerships,
survey research