Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness (CYSEW)
Mission
The mission of the Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness (CYSEW) is to promote mental health equity, which we define as the right to access quality mental health care, particularly for individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, immigration status, and geographical location, among others.
About Us
In New Jersey and nationally, mental health inequities are driven by systems and structural factors that disproportionally impact groups who are minoritized based upon socio-economic class, gender & sexuality, ability, status, and other forms of intersectionality. Structural barriers to accessing quality mental health care cannot be solved by individuals, or even by groups of individuals from any particular discipline.
CYSEW is a cross-disciplinary center that works in partnership with the Brandt Center with the goal of bringing together researchers, community and business leaders, and mental health providers from psychology, social work, education, psychiatry and other disciplines to develop holistic and comprehensive strategies to address the significant mental health inequities among young people that exist in New Jersey and nationally.
Our Work
Our faculty and staff work with youth of all ages but consistent with the Rutgers Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (RYBHI), we have particular passion and expertise for promoting positive mental health and wellness for adolescents and emerging adults. Our work focuses on breaking down silos to foster community/Rutgers partnerships that increase access to evidence-based mental health services. We strive to serve as a front door for the community, helping organizations navigate the Rutgers university system to identify expertise, collaborate, and share resources.
The Center also works to connect Rutgers faculty and students across disciplines. CYSEW faculty believe that the youth mental health crisis will only be addressed when researchers and clinicians come together across disciplines (e.g., social work, public policy, education, and psychology) and partner with the community to develop and implement innovative new systems of mental health care.
CYSEW was created based upon the vision of Dr. Francine Conway, Chancellor-Provost at Rutgers (https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/chancellor-provost/about-francine-conway): “By providing evidence-based, quality mental health care and support for young people—including youth in underserved and underrepresented communities—this initiative will be a national model of adolescent and young adult behavioral care.”
Our Services
● Training and workshops on school and community evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies (see Bienestar Training Institute on the Mental Health of Hispanics, Latines, and Immigrants)
● Comprehensive evaluation of school and community mental health efforts. CYSEW faculty and staff design databases and assessments to help your organization showcase the positive impact you are having.
● Integration of high-quality mental health assessment and treatment services into pediatric practices, schools, and businesses to reduce stigma and increase access to care. CYSEW can help you embed mental health graduate students and clinicians in your organization and provide training and supervision.
● Grant writing support and mentorship for Rutgers faculty and community-based organizations. CYSEW offers a faculty research mentorship program and partners with community organizations to identify sources of funding and write grants.
Leadership
Dr. Joshua Langberg
Dr. Joshua Langberg is the newly appointed Chief Wellness Officer (CWO) of Rutgers-New Brunswick, Director of the Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness (CYSEW), and a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP). He is a licensed clinical psychologist and part of the Rutgers Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and Brandt Center leadership team.
Additionally, Dr. Langberg is the Editor-in-Chief of one of the leading research journals focused on youth mental health – Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology – and the author of over 150 peer-reviewed publications and 3 books focused on adolescent and emerging adult mental health. He has served as the principal investigator on several large grant awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES). He previously served as the Associate Dean for Research and Operations and the Associate Director of the Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development and Violence Prevention at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Dr. Germán Cadenas
The inaugural CYSEW Associate Director is Dr. Germán A. Cadenas, a leading expert on the psychology of undocumented immigrants, including their sociopolitical activism, educational outcomes, career development, and psychological well-being. He develops and validates cultural competencies and social justice strategies for educators and mental health providers working with immigrant communities.
Dr. Cadenas identifies as a Latinx immigrant himself and is formerly undocumented. He has expertise in policy advocacy and community organizing for immigrant rights, and regularly collaborates with local and national advocacy organizations. He currently serves as Vice President for Diversity and Public Interest in the Society of Counseling Psychology (American Psychological Association, Division 17) and is also active in the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA).
Dr. Cadenas completed his university training at Arizona State University, held a post-doctoral position at UC Burkeley, and was last an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology at Lehigh University.
Contact Information
For more information on our work or if you would like to partner with CYSEW to address mental health equity, please contact the Center Director Dr. Joshua Langberg: jl3079@gsapp.rutgers.edu
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