Sarah Beehler, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and BioBehavioral Health

Sarah Beehler

Contact Info

sjbeehle@umn.edu

Office Phone 218-726-7016

Office Address:
241 SMed

Mailing Address:
Department of Biobehavioral Health & Population Sciences
University of Minnesota Medical School – Duluth Campus
1035 University Drive, 241 SMed
Duluth MN 55812

Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and BioBehavioral Health


PhD, University of Illinois—Chicago (Psychology), 2011

MA, University of Illinois-Chicago (Psychology), 2008

BA, University of Illinois-Chicago (Psychology), 2004

Summary

I am a community psychologist with interests in community-based approaches to promoting mental health. Current work focuses on multilevel community health interventions for veterans in rural areas. I am also an Affiliate Investigator at the Center for Healthcare Organization & Implementation Research (CHOIR) at VA Boston Healthcare System.

Research

Research Summary/Interests

Current studies explore the support systems of returning National Guard members as well as variation across independent, community-based veterans mental health councils. Conceptual work focuses on applying ecological frameworks to advance research on soldier reintegration, interventions for health equity, intervention sustainability, community mental health services and evidence-based psychological interventions. The overarching goal of my research is to identify and intervene with the complex, multilevel social and structural determinants of mental health. Previous work focused on describing and testing the effectiveness of community-based mental health services for immigrants and refugees.

Publications

  • Beehler, S., Boulger, J., Carlson, S., & Onello, E. (manuscript under review). Teaching community health needs assessment to first year medical students: Enhancing clinical experience in rural communities
  • Beehler, S., Marsella, S.A., Henderson, P.M., Resnick, S.G., & Meterko, M. Factors contributing to the effective functioning of veterans mental health councils. Psychological Services. In press.
  • Gautam, R., Mawn, B., & Beehler, S. Bhutanese older adult refugees recently resettled in the United States: A better life with little sorrows. Journal of Transcultural Nursing. (Advance online publication 2017). 2019:29(2):165-171. doi:10.1177/1043659617696975.
  • Trickett, E. J., & Beehler, S. Participatory action research and impact: An ecological ripples perspective. Educational Action Research. 2017:doi:10.1080/09650792.2017.1299025.
  • Beehler, S., J. Ahern, B. Balmer, & J. Kuhlman. Military families’ perceptions of neighborhood characteristics impacting reintegration: Development of an aggregate measure. Military Behavioral Health. (Advance online publication 2016). 2017:5(1):43-50. doi:10.1080/21635781.2016.1243493.
  • Beehler, S. Ripple effects of implementing evidence-based mental health interventions in a community-based social service organization. Journal of Community Psychology. 2016:44(8): 1070-1080.
  • Allen, J., Mohatt, G.V., Beehler, S., & Rowe, H.L. (2014). People Awakening: Collaborative Research to Develop Cultural Strategies for Prevention in Community Intervention. American Journal of Community Psychology, 54, (1-2), 100-111. doi: 10.1007/s10464-014-9647-1.
  • Beehler, S., Clark, J.A., & Eisen, S.V. (2014). Participant experiences in peer- and clinician-facilitated mental health recovery groups for veterans. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 47, 43-50. doi: 10.1037/prj0000048
  • Trickett, E. J., & Beehler, S. (2013). The ecology of multilevel interventions to reduce social inequalities in health. American Behavioral Scientist, 57, 1227-1246. doi:10.1177/0002764213487342.
  • Benzer, J. K., Beehler, S., Cramer, I. E., Mohr, D. C., Charns, M. P., & Burgess, J. F. (2013). Between and within-site variation in qualitative implementation research. Implementation Science, 8, doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-8-4.
  • Benzer, J. K., Beehler, S., Miller, C. J., Burgess, J. F., Mohr, D. C., Sullivan, J. L., Meterko, M., & Cramer, I. E. (2012). Grounded theory of barriers and facilitators to mandated implementation of mental health care in the primary care setting. Depression Research and Treatment, doi:10.1155/2012/597157
  • Beehler, S. (2012). Refining (not narrowing) notions of program sustainability. [Letter to the editor] American Journal of Public Health, 102, 1051-1052.
  • Beehler, S., Birman, D., & Campbell, R. (2012). The effectiveness of Cultural Adjustment and Trauma Services (CATS): A comprehensive, school-based mental health intervention for immigrant youth. American Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 155-168. doi: 10.1007/s10464-011-9486-2
  • Trickett, E.J., Beehler, S., Deutsch, C., Green, L.W., Hawe, P., McLeroy, K., Miller, R.L., Rapkin, B.D., Schensul, J.J., Schulz, A.J., & Trimble, J.E. (2011). Advancing the science of community-level interventions,American Journal of Public Health, 101, 1410-1419.
  • Birman, D., Beehler, S., Harris, E.M., Everson, M.L., Batia, K., Liautaud, J., Frazier, S., Atkins, M., Blanton, S., Buwalda, J., Fogg, L., & Cappella, E. (2008). International Family, Adult, and Child Enhancement Services (FACES): A community-based comprehensive services model for refugee children in resettlement. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 78, 121-132.

Teaching

Academic Interests and Focus

I teach community health assessment and biostatistics in the Social and Behavioral Medicine Courses. I also co-developed the community research project in the Rural Medical Scholars Program.