Amy Elizabeth West

Amy Elizabeth West is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. She serves as Associate Director for Education, Research, and Mentorship in the CHLA Department of Psychology, Director of the CHLA Child Clinical and Pediatric Psychology Internship, and leads the Pediatric Intervention Research in Anxiety and Mood Disorders (PIRAMD) Lab. With a secondary appointment in USC Dornsife's Psychology Department, her clinical and research focus centers on psychosocial treatments for pediatric mood/anxiety disorders, suicide prevention, and health disparities among underserved populations including American Indian/Alaska Native communities.

Her research examines mechanisms of treatment response in cognitive-behavioral interventions, particularly her developed RAINBOW therapy for pediatric bipolar spectrum disorders. Current projects include implementing CBT for anxiety disorders in minority populations through an NIMH-funded clinical trial, co-leading the ABCD neurodevelopment study at CHLA, and SAMHSA-funded substance use prevention in tribal communities.

Dr. West's 50+ publications reveal consistent focus on:

• Culturally-adapted interventions for diverse populations
• Developmental psychopathology of mood disorders
• Suicide prevention frameworks
• Health disparities research methods
• Integrated treatment models
• Community-based participatory research

She has secured over $18M in funding from NIH, PCORI, and SAMHSA. As Director of the PIRAMD Lab, she oversees translational research bridging clinical psychology, neuroscience, and public health to develop equitable mental health solutions.