Jocelyn I Meza

Dr. Jocelyn Meza is an Assistant Professor In-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. She serves as the Associate Director of the Youth Stress and Mood (YSAM) Clinic and is the Principal Investigator/Director of the HEART Lab (Health Equity & Access Research & Treatment Lab).

Education

• B.A. in Psychology and minor in Applied Developmental Psychology at UCLA (2012)
• M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Science at UC Berkeley (2014, 2019)
• Clinical Internship in Clinical Psychology at UCSF (2019)
• T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychiatry at UCLA (2020)
• UC Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychiatry at UCSF (2021)

Research Interests

Dr. Meza's research focuses on culturally responsive interventions for self-harm and suicide prevention among racial/ethnic minoritized youth, particularly those impacted by juvenile legal and child welfare systems. Her work examines cultural factors influencing psychopathology in Black and Latinx youth, including cultural protective factors, and the impact of racial discrimination on self-harm and suicide. As a licensed bilingual clinical psychologist trained in cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavior therapies, she integrates clinical practice with research to address health disparities through community-based participatory research approaches.

Research Trends

Dr. Meza's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on suicide prevention and mental health equity for marginalized youth populations. Her work spans multiple domains including culturally responsive assessment of suicidal behaviors, the impact of racial discrimination on mental health outcomes, and interventions for youth involved with juvenile justice and child welfare systems. A notable trend is her growing emphasis on intersectional approaches that consider how multiple identities and systemic factors interact to influence mental health outcomes.

Scientific Awards

• Recognition by the National Latinx Psychology Association for advancing mental health treatments among diverse ethnoracial families
• UC Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship

Professional Activities

Dr. Meza serves as Associate Director of the Youth Stress and Mood (YSAM) Clinic at UCLA, where she oversees clinical services and research initiatives focused on adolescent mental health. Her HEART Lab conducts research on culturally responsive treatments for self-harm/suicide prevention, with a particular emphasis on racial/ethnic minoritized youth impacted by social systems like juvenile legal and child welfare. She has secured multiple research grants to support this work and collaborates extensively with community organizations to ensure research addresses community-identified priorities.

Laboratory and Research Team

As Director of the HEART Lab (Health Equity & Access Research & Treatment Lab), Dr. Meza leads a multidisciplinary team focused on developing and evaluating culturally responsive mental health interventions. The lab's work emphasizes community-based participatory research approaches, partnering directly with youth, families, and community organizations to co-create interventions that address specific cultural contexts and systemic barriers to care. Current projects examine the development of treatments for self-harm/suicide among youth in juvenile justice and child welfare systems, as well as studying cultural protective factors that promote resilience among Black and Latinx youth.