I joined the New York State Office of Mental Health as the Statewide Director of Psychology Services, during which time I launched the NYS Emotional Support Helpline during the early COVID-19 pandemic. I subsequently was the Associate Commissioner in the Division of Integrated Community Services for Children and Families, where I led the largest investment in children’s mental health in New York State history. I currently serve as the founding Director of the Division of Crisis Services and Behavioral Health Crisis Technical Assistance Center, and a Special Advisor to the Commissioner on Crisis Services.
I began my career at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone where I was the Clinical Director of the ASD Program and subsequently the Senior Director of the NYU Langone Autism and Developmental Neuroscience Initiative, a multi-year strategic initiative to build a cross-departmental research, training, and clinical program. While at NYU Langone, my clinical work focused on dually diagnosed youth and my research focused on implementation and dissemination of clinical pathways to treat specialized patient populations in non-specialized settings.
I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at UCSB, where I was a Regents Special Fellow. I trained at the Koegel Autism Center and specialized in evidence-based treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related conditions. I am certified in Pivotal Response Treatment and PEERS. During my graduate training, I conducted research on the use of standardized assessments for children with ASD. I completed my pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where I was a psychology intern at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and a fellow at McLean Hospital. At BCH, I specialized in pediatric psychology and inpatient psychology, with a focus in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. At McLean, I received advanced training in adolescent substance abuse and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
I am an Ascend Fellow at the Aspen Institute.
View my resume to learn more about my background, clinical experience, and training.
Sarah Kuriakose, PhD, BCBA 