Center for School Behavioral Health

SURF: Substance Use and Related Risk Factors
Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Bureau of Community Health and Prevention (BCHAP)

The SURF survey is an annual, school-wide assessment administered at participating middle and high schools in Massachusetts. It is designed to identify risk and protective factors for mental health symptom progression. The goal is to characterize school behavioral health landscapes and pinpoint developmental periods when interventions may be most effective.

iDECIDE: Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment
Funded by DPH, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS)

iDECIDE is a free, state-funded drug education and diversion program available to schools and community agencies across Massachusetts. It aims to provide schools an alternative to suspension and other punitive action for substance-related infractions and empowers students with the knowledge and skills to make healthy decisions about substance use. iDECIDE is being evaluated through a variety of methods, including a multi-year, two-arm, assessor blind randomized controlled trial (NCT06115746).

Optimizing SBIRT: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment
Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)

SBIRT is a widely used model for screening emergent substance use. This five-year, cluster-randomized trial includes 40 public schools in Massachusetts and evaluates enhancements to SBIRT delivery. The study evaluates how near-peer support affects screening efficacy and student outcomes related to substance use risk. Exploratory qualitative analyses will evaluate implementation barriers and potential disparities in effectiveness for structurally marginalized student populations (NCT 06206161; AU-2022C1-26355).

Cannabis, Linked Emotions, and Adolescent Risk Study
Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

To make an impact on rising rates of depression and suicide in adolescents, we must improve our ability to predict when, why, and which individuals experience increases in depression and suicidal ideation. This study investigates how acute cannabis use and withdrawal affect short-term risk for depression and suicide ideation among adolescents. By analyzing time-varying patterns of substance use, mood, and suicide risk, the study aims to guide the development of scalable, accessible, and personalized interventions to reduce adolescent depression and suicide risk (NCT 06576076; R01 DA054145).

Development of a Transdiagnostic Intervention for Adolescents at Risk for Serious Mental Illness
Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

This is a randomized control trial of a brief 6-week group-based intervention for high school students with mild symptoms of depression, anxiety, or having unusual feelings from developing mental illnesses. This trial is aimed at testing how well the intervention improved mental health and functioning (NCT05962879; K23MH131793).

Model School Policy for Behavioral Health Promotion and Substance Use Prevention
Developed at the request of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MADPH), Bureau of Community Health and Prevention

This model policy provides school leaders with a comprehensive, implementation-ready framework that replaces punitive discipline with evidence-based, health-centered approaches to responding to student substance use infractions. It integrates elements from three core frameworks—Restorative Practices, Collaborative Problem-Solving, and Motivational Interviewing—into a graduated response system that supports student accountability, healing, and reintegration while maintaining connection to school and community.

K-8 Behavioral Health Promotion and Substance Use Prevention
Funded by the MADPH, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services Prevention Unit

This framework supports the development of a user-friendly digital platform that applies a holistic approach to student behavioral health and well-being. Grounded in a socioecological model, it offers accessible entry points for diverse users (students, educators, families, and communities) and features curated resources aligned with the four Positive Childhood Experiences of the HOPE framework: relationships, environment, engagement, and emotional growth.

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• Schuster, R. M., Potter, K., Lamberth, E., Rychik, N., Hareli, M., Allen, S., Broos, H. C., Mustoe, A., Gilman, J. M., Pachas, G., & Evins, A. E. (2021). Alcohol substitution during one month of cannabis abstinence among non-treatment seeking youth. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 107, 110205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110205. PMID: 33309538; PMCID: PMC7882030
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