Elizabeth H Connors

Dr. Elizabeth H Connors is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology) at the Yale School of Medicine and a faculty member in the Child Study Center. She serves as the Director of the Yale Doctoral Internship in Clinical and Community Psychology and directs School Mental Health Implementation Consultation and Research at The Consultation Center at Yale. Her work focuses on promoting equitable access to high-quality mental health services in K-12 schools through implementation science and participatory research methods.

• PhD in Child-Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (2014)
• Predoctoral Intern at VA Maryland Health Care System and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (2014)
• BA in Psychology from Quinnipiac University (2006)

Dr. Connors' research centers on improving mental health services for underserved and minoritized children and adolescents through implementation science. Her current projects include developing and testing culturally-modified measurement-based care for racial and ethnic minoritized adolescents with depression and implementing multi-level strategies like FOCUSS to increase measurement-based care in schools. She applies participatory research methods to address mental health disparities and promote resilience to adversity, stress, and trauma in school settings. Her work spans community mental health services, health care quality and evaluation, and social psychology within educational contexts.

Analysis of Dr. Connors' recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a consistent focus on measurement-based care implementation, culturally-responsive adaptations for minoritized populations, and system-level quality improvement in school mental health. Her work bridges implementation science with practical applications in educational settings, with particular attention to reducing disparities and improving outcomes for vulnerable youth. The research demonstrates methodological diversity, incorporating mixed-methods approaches, implementation frameworks, and collaborative partnerships with schools and communities.

• Univ. of Washington Research Institute for Implementation Science in Education (RIISE) Fellow (2022)
• Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program awards from NIMH (2018, 2020, 2021)
• Distinguished Faculty Award for Outstanding Contributions as a Supervisor (2021)
• Child Intervention, Prevention and Services (CHIPS) Fellow (2016)
• Graduate Psychology Education Fellow (2013)

Dr. Connors leads the School Mental Health Implementation Consultation and Research lab at The Consultation Center at Yale, where she applies participatory research methods to improve mental health services for underserved children and adolescents. She collaborates extensively with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine to advance research, practice, policy, and training nationwide. As co-developer of The SHAPE System (www.theshapesystem.com) and national school mental health performance measures, including the School Mental Health Quality Assessment, she has created practical tools that translate research into actionable strategies for improving mental health service delivery in schools.