Sarah Helseth

Dr. Sarah Helseth is an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, with dual appointments in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Medical Social Sciences. As a licensed clinical psychologist and core faculty member of the Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science (CDIS), she specializes in developing and disseminating technology-based behavioral health interventions for underserved populations and high-risk youth.

• Key affiliations: Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM), Substance Use Disorder Implementation Support Core (RASC)
• Education: BA (2008) from Case Western Reserve University, PhD (2017) from Florida International University, Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020) at Brown University

Her research spans four complementary domains: (1) behavioral health intervention development, (2) patient-directed dissemination strategies, (3) provider-directed implementation approaches, and (4) technology-enabled access solutions. She leads the NIDA-funded TECH App trial (K23DA048062) targeting marijuana use reduction in court-involved youth, with trial completion expected in 2026.

Recent publications focus on suicide screening in pediatric care, digital health implementation frameworks, nicotine replacement therapy trials, and Latinx caregiver networks. Awards include LEAP program fellowship (JCOIN), top-rated research posters, and predoctoral honors from Florida International University.

• Scientific awards:
  • Learning Experiences to Advance Practice (LEAP) Program Fellow (2020)
  • Addiction Health Services Research Conference Poster Award (2021)
  • Dissertation Year Fellowship (2015)
  • STEM Manuscript Award (2015)

As a Team Scientist, she contributes to NIH-funded hybrid trials like Parent SMART for residential treatment families and FreSH for dental tobacco cessation. She also works with the JCOIN network to address opioid use in justice-involved populations.