Working with the Families of Youth with Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Health Dual Diagnoses

Rachel Schumacher, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation. Rachel received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and completed her internship and postdoctoral training at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. She has completed specialized training in screening, diagnosing, and treating autism spectrum disorders in early childhood and is certified in parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). Her clinical and research interests include early identification and intervention, including behavioral parent training, for common childhood problems. She values working within a collaborative systems approach to facilitate clients’ most optional development by strengthening support across all familial, educational, medical, and community contexts. Rachel is also passionate about translating research to practice and policy and disseminating effective psychological services and tools to practitioners and families.

Kaitlyn M Young, Ph.D. (she/her) is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, specializing in Comprehensive School Mental Health. In her work, Dr. Young consults with schools to understand their needs and implement a mental and behavioral health system that increases access to services and is equitable. Dr. Young provides individual and family therapy services within the school setting, fostering positive relationships between the home, school, and community. Additionally, Dr. Young works collaboratively with trainees to build their therapy, consultation, and systems development and implementation skills. As a faculty trainer for the Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, Dr. Young works on several grant-funded teams and projects, all aiming to increase access to evidence-based mental health services in schools. Dr. Young graduated with her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she completed applied and research experiences in urban and rural schools, promoting access to mental and behavioral health services. Dr. Young completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the Munroe Meyer Institute and specialized in school-based mental health.