Elizabeth Sale

Dr. Elizabeth Sale serves as Evaluation Director and Adjunct Associate Professor at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH), affiliated with the University of Missouri-St. Louis. With over 25 years of expertise, she specializes in evaluation research for child/adolescent mental health and substance abuse prevention programs, employing advanced methodologies in research design, logic modeling, and mixed-methods analysis for national multi-site evaluations.

Her academic credentials include:

• BA in History, Washington University in St. Louis (1975-1981)
• MUA in Urban Affairs, Saint Louis University
• PhD in Public Policy, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Dr. Sale's research integrates public policy frameworks with community mental health practice, focusing on evidence-based interventions for youth populations. Her work bridges academic research and practical implementation through partnerships with state agencies and community organizations, emphasizing scalable prevention models for substance abuse and suicide. She has contributed significantly to national evaluation standards for evidence-based programs.

Publication analysis (2009-2024) reveals a strategic progression from adolescent substance use studies toward specialized suicide prevention training evaluations. Her recent work critically examines lethal means restriction (CALM) and gatekeeper training (QPR) efficacy across diverse populations, establishing methodological rigor in community-based suicide prevention while addressing implementation challenges in real-world settings.

Dr. Sale maintains active professional engagement through peer-reviewed publications in journals including the American Journal of Community Psychology and Community Mental Health Journal, with ongoing contributions to national dialogues on evaluation science and mental health policy.