Positions

Research Areas research areas

Overview

  • Joan B Beasley, PhD, is a licensed mental health counselor with a Masters degree in community mental health counseling from Northeastern University and has a Ph.D. in Social Policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University. Dr. Beasley's work spans over four decades, with the first funded study of the START model published in 1999. She currently serves as a Research Professor and Director of the National Research Consortium in IDD-MH at NCSS, and is Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on several research grants. Dr. Beasley also teaches master workshops on the START model and IDD-MH professional development courses, in addition to presentations at forums across the U.S. and abroad, and is the author of numerous peer reviewed publications. In addition to the START model, Dr. Beasley has provided technical support to state policy makers for over 20 years and currently conducts state sponsored systems of care analyses and technical support as part of her work at NCSS. Dr. Beasley enjoys sailing on the Charles River, plays guitar and the uke, sings, and loves to cycle.

    • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title
    2023 Evaluation of telemental health services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: protocol for a randomized non-inferiority trial..  BMC Health Services Research.  23:795. 2023
    2023 Telehealth information and communication technology access for family caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health needs..  Disability and Health Journal.  16:101463. 2023
    2023 Development and content validity of the Person Experiences Interview Survey (PEIS): a measure of the mental health services experiences of people with developmental disabilities..  Frontiers in Psychiatry.  14:1271210. 2023
    2022 Clinical applications of the VIA Inventory of Strengths with Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities.  The Journal of Positive Psychology: dedicated to furthering research and promoting good practice.  18:439-448. 2022
    2022 Psychiatric Presentations and Medication Use in Older Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities..  American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.  30:65-77. 2022
    2021 Psychotropic Use Among Youths With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities..  Psychiatric Services.  72:988-997. 2021
    2021 Predictors of Mental Health Crises Among Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Enrolled in the START Program..  Psychiatric Services.  72:273-280. 2021
    2020 Experiences With the Mental Health Service System of Family Caregivers of Individuals With an Intellectual/Developmental Disability Referred to START..  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: journal of policy, practice, and perspectives.  58:379-392. 2020
    2018 Improving Mental Health Outcomes for Individuals With Intellectual Disability Through the Iowa START (I-START) Program.  Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities.  11:287-300. 2018
    2014 Initial subjective reward: single-exposure conditioned place preference to alcohol in mice..  Frontiers in Neuroscience.  8:345. 2014
    2013 Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health: United States-Based Research.  Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities.  6:74-105. 2013
    2004 Importance of training and expertise to assess "what works for individuals with intellectual disabilities..  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: journal of policy, practice, and perspectives.  42:405-406. 2004
    2004 Importance of training and expertise to assess "what works" for individuals with intellectual disabilities..  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: journal of policy, practice, and perspectives.  42:310. 2004
    2000 Why individualized habilitative plans may fail: when challenging behaviors are symptoms of a psychiatric disorder..  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: journal of policy, practice, and perspectives.  38:179. 2000
    1995 ''Where, oh, where, has common sense gone?'' Commentary.  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: journal of policy, practice, and perspectives.  33:399-399. 1995
    1995 Commentary on Erb's (1995) "where, oh, where, has common sense gone"?.  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: journal of policy, practice, and perspectives.  33:399. 1995

    Conference Paper

    Year Title
    2012 Outcomes for the START Children's Retreat Therapeutic Respite Center.  Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 735-735. 2012
    2008 The TN START project: A community-based programme for people with ID & major behavioural and/or psychiatric disorders.  Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 738-738. 2008
    2004 Evaluating and improving community systems for persons with developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs.  NADD INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS V, PROCEEDINGS. 71-76. 2004

    Education And Training

    Full Name

  • Joan Beasley