Samantha I. Reaves, PhD

2006-2010       B.A., Psychology, Boston College                

2011-2012       MSc., Forensic Mental Health Research, King’s College London         

2013-2015       MA., Clinical-Community Psychology, DePaul University      

2013-2019       Ph.D., Clinical-Community Psychology, DePaul University

Dr. Sam Reaves is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine within the National Center for School Mental Health and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her work focuses on strengthening comprehensive school mental health systems through implementation support, quality improvement, evaluation, and measurement development.

Dr. Reaves supports schools, districts, states, and community-based organizations in using data to improve mental health service delivery, strengthen teaming structures, and implement evidence-informed practices. She has contributed to the development and dissemination of school mental health quality tools, including measures available through the SHAPE System (www.theSHAPEsystem.com), and leads training and technical assistance efforts designed to translate research into practical, sustainable systems change.

Her current work emphasizes school mental health quality assessment, culturally responsive implementation, cross-sector collaboration, and the use of data to guide continuous improvement across school and community mental health partnerships.

School mental health, implementation science, quality improvement, training and technical assistance, measurement development, systems change, evaluation, culturally responsive practices

• Russo, J., Beason, T., Carter, T., & Reaves, S. (Under Review). Initial validation of the CARE School Assessment: A tool for measuring implementation of safe, supportive, and equitable school practices.
• Reaves, S., Bohnenkamp, J., Mayworm, A., Sullivan, M., Connors, E., Lever, N., ... & Hoover, S. (2022). Associations Between School Mental Health Team Membership and Impact on Service Provision. School Mental Health, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-021-09493-z
• Reaves, S., Hartley, S., Clarke, B., Hoover, S., & Lever, N. (2021). What about the young children? Expanding school mental health quality improvement assessment to preschool. Perspectives in Early Childhood Education and Psychology, 6(2), 193-215.
• Reaves, S., Martinez-Torteya, C., & Kosson, D. S. (2020). Understanding the Relation Between Family Engagement in Education and Preschoolers’ Socioemotional and Behavioral Functioning in a Primarily Latinx Sample. Urban Education, https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085920974073
• Reaves, S., McMahon, S. D.#, Duffy, S., & Ruiz, L. (2018). The test of time: A meta-analytic review of the relation between school climate and problem behavior. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 39, 100-108.