Youth Stress & Mood Program (YSAM)

Clinic Overview

The Youth Stress and Mood (YSAM) Program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is dedicated to improving health and mental health in children and adolescents, and developing and evaluating treatments and services for depression, problems with emotion regulation, self-harm, and suicide prevention. Our program focuses on enhancing coping skills, emotion regulation, and stress management in children and adolescents, supporting families in caring for their children, and developing services to meet the needs of all children and families. The program provides clinical services, training and education, involves collaborative work with community partners and families to strengthen community resources for depression, self-harm, and suicide prevention in youth. 

Directed by Dr. Jocelyn I. Meza, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA and Dr. Joan Rosenbaum Asarnow, Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA, the Youth Stress and Mood (YSAM) Program offers the following services:

1. Evaluation and brief interventions for enhancing safety in youth presenting with self-harm and/or suicidal ideation and/or behavior.
2. Mental health evaluations for youth presenting with depression, trauma and stress, and risk for suicide and self-harm.
3. Dialectical-behavior therapy (DBT). The UCLA YSAM program was a site for the largest completed randomized controlled trial of DBT for adolescents. This trial supported the efficacy of DBT for reducing suicide attempts and self-harm among adolescents presenting with high levels of suicide and self-harm risk. The YSAM program emphasizes multi-family DBT skills group at the present time. The UCLA DBT Program is fortunate to have an Advisory Board including: Dr. Alec Miller; Dr. Linda Dimeff; and Dr. Lynn McFarr.
4. Family consultation and support.
5. As resources permit, more extended evaluations and treatment may be available for youth. For example: Individual and family centered cognitive-behavioral and family approaches. This includes the Safe Alternatives for Teens & Youth (SAFETY) treatment. SAFETY is a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-informed psychotherapy with both youth and parents/caregivers which has been recognized for evidence of efficacy in SAMHSA’s Youth Suicide Treatment Guide.
6. YSAM aims to provide culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care to youth with diverse backgrounds. Some services are available in Spanish.

Who We See

Our clinic provides evaluations and treatment for children 

Who We See

Our clinic provides evaluations and treatment for children and adolescents experiencing depression, difficulties regulating emotions, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and self-injurious behaviors. The clinic accepts a variety of insurance policies.

Clinic Training & Educational Opportunities

The YSAM program is part of the Center for Trauma-Informed Adolescent Suicide, Self-harm & Substance Misuse Treatment & Prevention (ASAP Center, Directed by Drs. Joan Asarnow at UCLA & Dr. David Goldston at Duke University, originally funded by a SAMHSA-grant). 

See www.asapnctsn.org for information regarding ASAP Center resources and trainings.

Research & Program Development & Evaluation Opportunities

The YSAM program is and has been engaged in a number of research projects funded by the Patient Centered Oriented Research Institute (PCORI), the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and other organizations. This work aims to improve knowledge, care, and outcomes for youth and families.

Opportunities to participate in research vary over time. 

Program Schedule

DBT Multi-family Skills Group: Thursdays 5pm-6:30pm 

Intake evaluations: Fridays 11am-1pm

For more information and alternate clinic availability contact YSAM staff at (310) 794-4962 or email [email protected].

Contact

Intake evaluations: Fridays from 1-5 pm

Clinic Day and Time: Thursdays from 5-6:30 (via Zoom)

Telephone: For an appointment, please call Andrew Alvarez at (310)-794-4962

Address: 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 1236 Los Angeles, Ca 90095

Email address: [email protected]