2. Profile
  3. Marc S. Atkins

Marc S. Atkins PhD

Marc S. Atkins
Designation
  • Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology
  • University of Illinois Chicago
Gender Pronouns
  • he/him
Contact Information
  • atkins [at] uic.edu
  • (312) 413-1048
  • (312) 413-0214
  • Institute for Juvenile Research (IJR)
    1747 W. Roosevelt Rd.
    Chicago IL 60612
  • Room #:212
Assistant
  • Grace Cua
  • (312) 413-8639
  • gcua2 [at] uic.edu

Dr. Atkins is a licensed clinical psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology and past Director of the Institute for Juvenile Research at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He developed and led the internship in clinical psychology for the Department of Psychiatry for two decades and has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows on career development awards and postdoctoral fellowships. He currently directs the Community Engagement and Collaboration core for UIC’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science. He is the recipient of numerous grants from the NIMH and private foundations examining new models for mental health practice in urban communities to address long-standing disparities in mental health care for children and families living in high poverty urban communities. He currently is Co-PI with Dr. Tara Mehta on a grant from the NIMH studying community health worker navigation into mental health services for urban children and families. He is active in public policy, including as a consultant to the Chicago Public Schools, the Illinois Division of Mental Health, and the Illinois State Board of Education on guidelines for school and community based mental health programs and practices, and to Chief Judge Timothy Evans of the Cook County Circuit Court on behavioral health programming for Restorative Justice Courts. He is co-head of the Chicago Consortium for Community Engagement in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Public Health, a member of a task force on officer wellness for the Chicago Police Department, and is collaborating with NAMI-Chicago on the development of a behavioral health response team for the Chicago Police Department. He is a Fellow of the Military Suicide Research Consortium serving as a consultant to the Idaho Army National Guard, and a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. He has served three terms on the executive committee of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science of the Association for Psychological Science and is Past-President of the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Division 53) of the American Psychological Association.

  • psychiatry
    • Mental health services research 
    • Dissemination and Implementation Science 
    • School and community mental health services 
    • Urban children and families
  • CCTS Community Engagement and Collaboration Core

    Provides consultation to UIC investigators on community-based research, dissemination and implementation science, and recruitment and retention of underserved populations. 

  • Patient Navigation for Children and Families

    Studying a model of mental health navigation in urban high poverty communities focused on reducing key parental attitudinal barriers to care. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/browse/collection/47901244/?sort=date&direction=ascending
  • 2018

    Ouellette, R., Frazier, S., Shernoff, E., Cappella, E., Mehta, T., Marinez-Lora, A., Cua, G., & Atkins, M. (in press). Teacher job stress and satisfaction in urban schools: Disentangling individual, classroom, and organizational level influences. Behavior Therapy. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2017.11.011

    Hoagwood, K., Atkins, M., Horwitz, S., Kutash, K., Olin. S., Burns, B., Peth-Pierce, R., Kuppinger, A., Burton, G., Shorter, P., & Kelleher, K. (in press). A response to proposed budget cuts affecting children’s mental health: Protecting policies and programs that promote collective efficacy. Psychiatric Services. https://doi-org.proxy.cc.uic.edu/10.1176/appi.ps.201700126

    Hoagwood, K., Atkins, M., Kelleher, K., Peth-Pierce, Olin. S., R., Burns, B., Landsverk, J., & Horwitz, S. (2018). Trends in children's mental health services research funding by the National Institute of Mental Health from 2005 to 2015: A 42% reduction! Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 57:1,10-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.09.433

  • 2017

    Jacobs, R. H., Gao, S., Kaundinya, P., Lakind, D., Klein, J., Rusch, D., Walden, A., Mehta, T., & Atkins, M. S. (2017). A pilot study of mindfulness skills to reduce stress among a diverse paraprofessional workforce. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26, 2579-2588.

    Atkins, M. S., Cappella, E., Shernoff, E. S., Mehta, T. G., & Gustafson, E. L. (2017). Schooling and children’s mental health: Realigning resources to reduce disparities and advance public health. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 13, 123-147. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045234

    Shah, R., DiFrino, D., Kim, Y., & Atkins, M. S., (2017). Sit Down and Play: A preventive primary care-based intervention to enhance parenting practices. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26:2, 540-547. doi: 10.1007/s10826-016-0583-6

  • 2016

    Leathers, S., Melka-Kaffer, C. J., Spielfogel, J., & Atkins, M. S. (2016). Use of evidenced-based interventions in child welfare: Do attitudes matter? Children and Youth Services Review, 70, 375-382. doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.10.022

    Leathers, S., Spielfogel, J., Blakey, J., E. Christian, & Atkins, M. S. (2016). The effect of a change agent on use of evidence-based mental health practices. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 43:5, 768-782.

    Atkins, M. S., Rusch, D., Mehta, T. G., & Lakind, D. (2016). Future directions for dissemination and implementation science: Aligning ecological theory and public health to close the research to practice gap. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 45:2, 215-226. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2015.1050724

    Bustamante, E. E., Davis, C. L., Frazier, S. L., Rusch, D., Fogg, L., Atkins, M. S., Hellison, D. R., & Marquez, D. X. (2016). Randomized controlled trial of exercise for ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48:7, 1397-1407.

    Shernoff, E. S., Frazier, S. L., Marinez-Lora, A., Lakind, D., Atkins, M. S., Jakobsons, L., Hamre, B., Bhaumik, D., Parker-Katz, M., Watling-Neal, J., Smylie, M., & Patel, D. (2016). Expanding the role of school psychologists to support early career teachers: A mixed method study. School Psychology Review, 45:2, 226-249.

    Cappella, E., Ha Yeon, K., Jackson, D., Bilal, C., Hayley, S., & Atkins, M. S. (2016). Implementation of teacher consultation and coaching in urban schools: A mixed method study. School Mental Health, 8, 222-237.

  • 2015

    Asarnow, J., Hoagwood, K., Stancin, T., Lochman, J., Hughes, J. Miranda, J., Wysoci, T., Portwood, S., Piacentini, J., Tynan, W., Atkins, M. S., & Kazak, A. (2015). Psychological science and innovative strategies for informing health care redesign: A policy brief. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 44:6, 923-932.

    Atkins, M. S., Shernoff, E. S., Frazier, S. L., Schoenwald, S. K., Cappella, E., Marinez-Lora, A., Lakind, D., Cua, G., Bhaumik, R., & Bhaumik, D. (2015). Re-designing community mental health services for urban children: Supporting schooling to promote mental health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83:5, 839-852.

    Lakind, D., Atkins, M. S., & Eddy, J. M. (2015). Youth mentoring in context: Mentor perceptions of youth, environment, and the mentor role. Children and Youth Services Review, 53, 52-60. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.03.007

    Frazier, S., Mehta, T., Atkins, M. S, Glisson, C., Green, P., Gibbons, R., Kim, J. B., Chapman, J., Schoenwald, S., Cua, G., & Ogle, R. (2015). The social context of urban classrooms: Measuring student psychological climate. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 35 (5-6), 759-789. doi: 10.1177/0272431615570056.

    Rusch, D., Frazier, S. & Atkins, M. S. (2015). Building capacity within community-based organizations: New directions for mental health promotion for Latino immigrant families in urban poverty. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42:1, 1-5. doi: 10.1007/s10488-014-0549-1.

  • 2014

    Atkins, M. S., Strauman, T. J., Cyranowski, J. M., & Kolden, G. G. (2014). Reconceptualizing internship training within the evolving clinical science training model. Clinical Psychological Science, 2, 46-57.

    Bustamante, E. E., Frazier, S. L, Marquez, D. X., Fogg, L. F., Davis, C. L., Atkins, M. S., & Hellison, D. R. (2014). Impact of a physical activity program on the cognitive function of children with ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 47, S219.

    Starin, A. C., Atkins, M. S., Whermann, K. C., Mehta, T., Hesson-McGinnis, M. S., Marinez-Lora, A., McConnaghey, M., & Mehlinger, R. (2014). Moving science into a state child and adolescent mental health system: Illinois’ evidence informed practice initiative. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 43, 169-178.

    Yeh, C. J., Liao, H., Ma, W., Shea, M., Okubo, Y., Kim, A. B., & Atkins, M. S. (2014). Ecological risk and protective factors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among low-income Chinese immigrant youth. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 14:3, 190-199. doi: 10.1037/a0034105

  • 2013

    Atkins, M. S. (2013). Clinical science internship training: Time for a reappraisal. Clinical Science: Newsletter for the Society for the Science of Clinical Psychology, 16:1, 10-14.

    Mehta, T. G., Atkins, M. S., & Frazier, S. L. (2013). The organizational health of urban elementary schools. School Mental Health, 5, 144-154.

    Hoagwood, K. E., Atkins, M. S., & Ialongo, N. (2013). Unpacking the black box of implementation: The next generation for policy, research, and practice. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 40, 451-455.

    Hamre, B., Pianta, R., Downer, J., DeCoster, J., Mashburn, A., Jones, S., Brown, J. Cappella, E., Atkins, M., Rivers, S., Brackett, M., & Hamagami, A. (2013). Teaching through interactions: Testing a developmental framework in over 4,000 classrooms. The Elementary School Journal,113:4, 461-487.

    Atkins, M. S. & Lakind, D. (2013). Usual care for clinicians, unusual care for their clients: Rearranging priorities for children’s mental health services. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 40:1, 48-51.

    Frazier, S. L., Mehta, T. G., Atkins, M. S., Hur, K., & Rusch. D. (2013). Not just a walk in the park: Efficacy to effectiveness for after school programs in communities of concentrated urban poverty. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 40, 406-418.

Title Description Investigator(s) Category Status
Building Family Foundations (BFF) BFF was a prenatal to early childhood home-visiting program to support first-time Latino and African American young mothers in their transition to motherhood and adulthood. Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program On-going
Building multi-level support for recreational staff members to infuse mental health promotion into everyday practices This project is a collaboration with Urban Initiatives, a citywide non-profit foundation that utilizes soccer and active play to promote youth physical and mental health in resource-scarce neighborhoods.  The project employs an iterative collaborative approach to enhance the organizational capacity of UI to impact youth physical and mental health by strengthening their workforce dev ACCESS for Mental Health On-going
Building multi-level support for recreational staff members to infuse mental health promotion into everyday practices This project is a collaboration with Urban Initiatives, a citywide non-profit foundation that utilizes soccer and active play to promote youth physical and mental health in resource-scarce neighborhoods.  The project employs an iterative collaborative approach to enhance the organizational capacity of UI to impact youth physical and mental health by strengthening their workforce development pra Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program On-going
Patient Navigators for Children's Community Mental Health Services in High Poverty Urban Communities This study is a NIMH-funded R01 that examines the effectiveness of paraprofessionals as navigators for children’s mental health services, in contrast with case managers and waitlist without navigation. This study is in collaboration with three social service agencies serving children and families from high poverty Chicago neighborhoods. ACCESS for Mental Health On-going
Leaders @ Play Our team has been collaborating with the Chicago Park District for the past decade to develop and implement strategies that capitalize on the inherent opportunities present in recreation to support and promote children’s mental health. Leaders @ Play was a program designed to promote mental health for participating adolescents and support healthy behavioral, social, and emotional funct Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed
LINKS Center The LINKS Center (P20 MH078458) was a virtual developing center created to advance research and practice on community-based models to promote the mental health needs of children living in urban poverty. Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed
Links Center The LINKS Center (P20 MH078458) was a virtual developing center created to advance research and practice on community-based models to promote the mental health needs of children living in urban poverty. Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed
Links to Learning Links to Learning was funded by the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) to examine a school-based model for mental health consultation to urban, high poverty schools that focuses on the key empirical predictors of children’s learning and uses parent and teacher key informants to facilitate program utilization and sustainability. Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed
Links to Learning Links to Learning was funded by the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) to examine a school-based model for mental health consultation to urban, high poverty schools that focuses on the key empirical predictors of children’s learning and uses parent and teacher key informants to facilitate program utilization and sustainability. Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed
Partners Achieving School Success (PASS) PASS was a school based mental health prevention and early intervention program for children in pre-kindergarten through third grade.  Our team collaborated with four social service agencies on a school-based prevention and early intervention program for youth in K-3rd grade living in impoverished communities in Chicago (approximately n=700). Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed
Virtual Professional Learning Communities: A social network perspective (VPLC) In collaboration with a large state entity, two virtual professional learning communities (VPLCs) were developed to support community mental health providers following a 12-month evidence-based practices (EBP) training. Community Based Children and Family Mental Health Services Research Program Completed

*System-generated list from psychiatry research website.

Date Topic Category Status
04/29/2020 Parents Supporting Parents in Communities of Urban Poverty   Past Event