In This Section

Ricardo B. Eiraldi, PhD
Ricardo B. Eiraldi
Program Director, Behavioral Health in Urban Schools

Dr. Eiraldi's research focuses on the implementation of evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of externalizing and internalizing mental health disorders in school children.

AddtoAny
Share:

WATCH THIS PAGE

Subscribe to be notified of changes or updates to this page.

2 + 0 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.

Bio

Dr. Eiraldi's research centers on the study of barriers to and facilitators of service utilization for ethnically diverse children and families and the development of strategies to address disparities in inner-city public schools. During the past 10 years he has worked to develop and implement school-wide programs to prevent and treat externalizing (disruptive behavior, aggression, conduct problems) and internalizing mental disorders (anxiety, depression) in children.

His studies show that school personnel with little prior exposure to evidence-based interventions can implement prevention and treatment programs with fidelity. Interventions implemented by school personnel result in a reduction in diagnostic severity level when implementers receive training and consultation from university-affiliated coaches.

In 2003, he received a grant from  the National Institutes of Mental Health to study the clinical presentation of ADHD in ethnically diverse children in urban communities. In 2008, he received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and pilot test Project ACCESS, a school-wide positive behavior support program including mental health support, in two large schools in North Philadelphia. In 2012, the National Institute of Child Health and Development awarded Dr. Eiraldi a grant to test two levels of support for the implementation of Project ACCESS in six schools. Then in 2016, he received an award from NIMH to test the effectiveness of two group cognitive behavioral therapy protocols for anxiety disorders in 18 schools and two support strategies for clinicians: train the trainer vs. train the trainer plus consultation.

Among his career achievements, Dr. Eiraldi has:

  • Ongoing funding from federal agencies for past 16 years
  • Strong partnerships with School District of Philadelphia, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services of the City of Philadelphia, and numerous Philadelphia mental health agencies
  • Multiple initiatives involving research, training and direct services to under-served children and families

Education and Training

BA, Temple University (Psychology), 1990

PhD, Hahnemann University (Clinical Psychology), 1995

Titles and Academic Titles

Assistant Program Director, Center for Management of ADHD

Program Director, Behavioral Health in Urban Schools Program

Professor of Clinical Psychology in Pediatrics

Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry

Professional Awards

Health Disparities Scholar, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2004

Publication Highlights