Sarah Horwitz, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Public Health (Health Policy) and Associate Professor in the Child Study CenterCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Addressing Suicide Risk in Autistic Youth: A Preliminary Study of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician Attitudes
Cervantes P, Richards-Rachlin S, Seag D, Conlon G, Donnelly L, Lee M, Shalev R, Tay E, Knapp K, Wiener E, Baroni A, Horwitz S. Addressing Suicide Risk in Autistic Youth: A Preliminary Study of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician Attitudes. Journal Of Developmental And Physical Disabilities 2025, 1-12. DOI: 10.1007/s10882-025-10006-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEmergency departmentSuicide-related careAutistic youthManaging suicide riskPediatric emergency medicineSuicide riskEmergency department providersSuicide risk identificationNon-autistic youthSuicide prevention practicesSuicide risk assessmentPhysicians' attitudesPhysician trainingEmergency medicinePrevention practicesPsychiatric concernsYouth suicideSuicidal thoughtsPatient populationProvidersPhysiciansConfidenceSuicideYouthTraining
2024
Mental Health Service Referral and Treatment Following Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Detention.
Tedeschi F, Horwitz S, Surko M, Weinberger E, Bart A, Baetz C, Guo F, Alexander A, Havens J. Mental Health Service Referral and Treatment Following Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Detention. The Journal Of The American Academy Of Psychiatry And The Law 2024, 52: 460-469. PMID: 39393913, DOI: 10.29158/jaapl.240082-24.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderDSM-5 diagnosisMental health screeningDSM-5Prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderRates of mental health disordersPosttraumatic stress disorderProblematic substance useMental health disordersMental health service referralJuvenile detention facilitiesStress disorderAttention-deficit/hyperactivityDetained youthSubstance useNeurodevelopmental disordersHealth disordersJuvenile detentionDetention facilitiesEvaluate youthHealth screeningDisordersEmotional concernsAvailability of servicesService referralsAn Evaluation of a Trauma-Informed Intervention in Secure Juvenile Detention: The Impact on Youth-Level Incidents of Violence
Baetz C, Surko M, Guo F, Marr M, Workman S, Havens J, Horwitz S. An Evaluation of a Trauma-Informed Intervention in Secure Juvenile Detention: The Impact on Youth-Level Incidents of Violence. Criminal Justice And Behavior 2024, 52: 716-733. DOI: 10.1177/00938548241297281.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchJustice-related outcomesJuvenile justice settingsIncidence of violenceTrauma-informed interventionsTrauma-specific interventionsJustice settingsJuvenile detentionDetention facilitiesReduce violenceBlack youthVulnerable youthTrauma-informedDetentionSkill groupsViolencePre-skillsYouthStaff trainingStaff membersAssaultStaffTrauma trainingGroup cohortsInterventionJuvenilesImproving Emergency Department Care for Suicidality in Autism: Perspectives from Autistic Youth, Caregivers, and Clinicians
Cervantes P, Palinkas L, Conlon G, Richards-Rachlin S, Sullivan K, Baroni A, Horwitz S. Improving Emergency Department Care for Suicidality in Autism: Perspectives from Autistic Youth, Caregivers, and Clinicians. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders 2024, 1-14. PMID: 38819705, DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06364-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEmergency departmentSuicide risk assessment toolsEmergency department careSuicide risk screeningSuicide riskNon-autistic youthAutistic youthRisk assessment toolSemi-structured interviewsED careImprove careProviding careED settingRisk screeningFamily involvementParticipants' perspectivesCareSelf-harmAssessment toolSystem issuesAutistic patientsDevelopment of recommendationsPilot studyCaregiversSuicidal ideationImplementation Barriers Encountered During a Universal Suicide Screening Program in Pediatric Emergency Departments
Seag D, Cervantes P, Narcisse I, Wiener E, Tay E, Knapp K, Horwitz S. Implementation Barriers Encountered During a Universal Suicide Screening Program in Pediatric Emergency Departments. Pediatric Emergency Care 2024, 40: 731-735. PMID: 38748454, PMCID: PMC11560740, DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000003221.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPediatric emergency departmentResearch assistantsComputerized adaptive testingUniversal suicide risk screeningWorkflow issuesEmergency departmentManagement of suicidal behaviorStudy assessed barriersQuality improvement initiativesSuicide risk screeningSuicide screening programsThematic content analysisScreening barriersClinical staffImprovement initiativesImplementation barriersPhysician educationClinical protocolsRisk screeningScreening programLimited integrationAdaptive testingContent analysisScreening effortsScreeningPerspectives from the Autism Community on the Potential Utility of a Novel Measure of Suicide Risk and Mental Health Symptoms for Autistic Youth: A Pilot Study
Cervantes P, Gibbons R, Palinkas L, Conlon G, Horwitz S. Perspectives from the Autism Community on the Potential Utility of a Novel Measure of Suicide Risk and Mental Health Symptoms for Autistic Youth: A Pilot Study. Journal Of Developmental And Physical Disabilities 2024, 1-12. DOI: 10.1007/s10882-024-09963-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health symptomsAutistic youthHealth symptomsSuicide risk screening toolSuicide riskRisk screening toolMeasures of suicide riskExperience of suicidePilot studyMeasures of suicidalityAutism communityNon-autistic populationSpecialist cliniciansGeneral populationScreening toolEndorsed problemsCommunity membersAutistic individualsAdaptive testingAutismSuicideYouthPopulationRiskPilotIdentification of Suicide Risk in a Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Setting: Comparing the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions and the Kiddie-Computerized Adaptive Test-Suicide Scale
Cervantes P, Gibbons R, Seag D, Baroni A, Li A, Horwitz S. Identification of Suicide Risk in a Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Setting: Comparing the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions and the Kiddie-Computerized Adaptive Test-Suicide Scale. Evidence-Based Practice In Child And Adolescent Mental Health 2024, 9: 561-574. PMID: 39872043, PMCID: PMC11771990, DOI: 10.1080/23794925.2024.2303778.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAsk Suicide-Screening QuestionsPsychiatric emergency settingSuicide risk screeningSuicide riskEmergency departmentRisk screeningPresence of suicide riskIdentification of suicide riskLower symptom levelsCases of disagreementImplementation of mental health screeningSample of participantsMental health screeningMental health domainsEmergency settingSymptom levelsInternalizing disordersPsychiatric symptomsCharacteristics of youthIdentifying youthCaregiver reportsEducational accommodationsHealth screeningHealth domainsReal-world settingsImplementation Feasibility and Hidden Costs of Statewide Scaling of Evidence-Based Therapies for Children and Adolescents
Hoagwood K, Richards-Rachlin S, Baier M, Vilgorin B, Horwitz S, Narcisse I, Diedrich N, Cleek A. Implementation Feasibility and Hidden Costs of Statewide Scaling of Evidence-Based Therapies for Children and Adolescents. Psychiatric Services 2024, 75: 461-469. PMID: 38268465, PMCID: PMC11099614, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20230183.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEvidence-based therapiesState mental health systemsMental health systemImplementation feasibilityHealth systemCertificate informationResearch funding agenciesEthnically diverse sampleDocument acceptabilityNew York StateSearch termsCost of implementationRacial-ethnic diversityDiverse sampleSubgroup analysisDeliver servicesLicensing entitiesOngoing costsWorkforceLiterature reviewAdolescent disordersAssist statesTreatment developmentHidden costsCertification
2023
The Risk for Readmission to Juvenile Detention: The Role of Trauma Exposure and Trauma-related Mental Health Disorders
Baetz C, Surko M, Bart A, Guo F, Alexander A, Camarano V, Daniels D, Havens J, Horwitz S. The Risk for Readmission to Juvenile Detention: The Role of Trauma Exposure and Trauma-related Mental Health Disorders. Journal Of Child & Adolescent Trauma 2023, 17: 527-539. PMID: 38938971, PMCID: PMC11199455, DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00596-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTrauma exposureTrauma-related variablesSubstance useLikelihood of readmissionMental health disordersCo-morbid diagnosesChildhood trauma exposureType of traumaPosttraumatic stress disorderMultiple readmissionsProblematic substance useTrauma-related symptomsRisk factorsTraumatic stress symptomsReadmissionDepressive symptomsComorbid diagnosesHealth disordersThree-year study periodInitial intakeStress disorderStudy periodSymptomsScreening resultsChildhood traumaThe Positive Approach to the Psychiatric Assessment: A Randomized Trial of a Novel Interviewing Technique
Schlechter A, Moerdler-Green M, Zabar S, Reliford A, New A, Feingold J, Guo F, Horwitz S. The Positive Approach to the Psychiatric Assessment: A Randomized Trial of a Novel Interviewing Technique. Academic Psychiatry 2023, 48: 47-51. PMID: 37651038, DOI: 10.1007/s40596-023-01842-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsychiatric interviewTreatment engagementPsychiatric residentsWorking Alliance Inventory-Short RevisedBlinded ratersBonding scoresImprove treatment engagementTherapeutic allianceObjectiveThis pilot studyPsychiatric assessmentOutcome measuresAssociated with improvementsIntra-rater reliabilityPositive approachInter-rater reliabilityTreatment outcomesPositive scoresStandardized patientsImprove rapportInexpensive interventionApproach groupRatersTraditional approach groupStructural scaleScores
News
News
- September 24, 2002
Federal Government Not Funding Enough Research For Mental Health Problems in Children, Yale Study Finds
- May 13, 2002
End-of-Life Care Influenced by Physicians' Knowledge and Attitudes
- December 18, 2000
Many Terminally ill Patients Not Referred for Hospice Services, Despite Meeting Eligibility Requirements
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