Entries by Alexandra Werntz

Therapeutic Mentoring: A Scalable Solution to the Youth Mental Health Crisis

by Alexandra Werntz, PhD Licensed clinical psychologist Associate Director, Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring Director of Research, MentorPRO We are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis. While 20–30% of young people need mental health support, far too few actually receive it. The challenges are even greater for youth from under-resourced communities and those […]

The Promise and Perils of Using Peers and Other Paraprofessionals as Mental Health Service Professionals

By Alexandra Werntz, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Director of the UMass Boston Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring.    A timely new opinion piece in JAMA Psychiatry by Areán, O’Connor, and Sherrill of the National Institute of Mental Health highlights both the promise and challenges of integrating paraprofessionals into mental health service delivery. As the […]