Claudia-Santi F. Fernandes, EdD, LPC, CHES
About
Titles
Biography
Claudia-Santi F. Fernandes, Ed.D., LPC, MCHES, NCC is a youth mental health and substance use prevention expert with experience in public schools, clinical settings, and research institutions. Previously, her work focused on a practitioner-based approach that concentrated on health education, social and emotional learning (SEL), and school climate. She served as a former public school teacher, bilingual school counselor in New York City, and part of the founding leadership team at Bard High School Early College Newark where she developed and oversaw student-centered policies, programs, and structures. As part of her doctoral studies, she explored facilitators and barriers to the implementation of school wellness policies. She was also a project director at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence where she led the earlier stage of development for the inspirED Online Resource Center. Recognizing the impact and reach of evidence-informed, technology-based interventions to improve mental health and well-being in youth, she completed her postdoctoral studies in the design and evaluation of digital interventions at the Yale School of Medicine. Since her transition to a research career, she continues to apply a public health approach to reach more students and to improve youth mental health and wellbeing outcomes in schools with a specific focus on reducing the risk of suicide.
Currently, Dr. Fernandes is the Director of Research and Evaluation at Born This Way Foundation as well as an assistant clinical professor in the Child Study Center and an assistant professor adjunct in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science at the Yale School of Medicine. She is a former Yale Center for Clinical Investigation Scholar and assistant professor of Medicine (General Medicine) where she received a career development award by NIH/NCATS to design and to evaluate a digital game to prevent suicide among youth who misuse substances, including opioids. In her current role, she remains the Founding Director of Youth4Wellness at Yale and collaborates with XRPediatrics, CHIL@Yale, and The ACCESS Lab. She previously worked with the play2PREVENT Lab. In her role at the play2PREVENT Lab, she served as the Deputy Director of Mental Health & Wellbeing and the Project Director of a NIH-/NIDA-funded Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative to address opioid misuse in youth in school-based health centers. She was also a Guest Editor in the Supplemental Issue in Prevention Science Journal highlighting the coordinated efforts among 10 HEAL research projects across the nation in preventing opioid misuse. Other research interests focus on youth-led participatory action research and the translation of policies into practices and successful transitions from high school to post-secondary education, employment, and healthcare. Dr. Fernandes aims to use evidence-based research to inform federal-, state-, and local-level policies and to provide support to schools in their youth-led implementation efforts. She served on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Association of School-Based Health Centers as Treasurer. Dr. Fernandes also practices as a licensed professional counselor and serves on the Digital Wellbeing Advisory Board at the Peer Health Exchange. She is a 2024-2025 Public Voices Fellow of The OpEd Project in partnership with the Yale Women Faculty Forum.
Appointments
Child Study Center
Assistant Clinical ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Immersive Technologies
- Child Study Center
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Training
- Yale School of Medicine (2018)
- EdD
- Columbia University Teachers College, Health & Behavior Studies (2017)
- MA
- New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Applied Psychology (2009)
Research
Publications
Featured Publications
A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Cognitive Behavioral Videogame Intervention: empowerED
Fernandes C, Deng Y, Tran A, Hieftje K, Boomer T, Taylor C, Fiellin L. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Cognitive Behavioral Videogame Intervention: empowerED. Games For Health Journal 2022, 12: 42-52. PMID: 36350349, PMCID: PMC10331148, DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2021.0118.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCognitive reappraisalBeliefs/attitudesVideogame interventionEmotion regulation strategiesCognitive reappraisal skillsSchool climateYouth mental health needsPilot RCTHigh school settingReappraisal skillsMental health needsRegulation strategiesYouth perceptionsPreliminary effectsSchool settingsControl conditionSkill developmentHealthy developmentPreliminary efficacyPerceptionReappraisalYouthAttitudesInterventionHealth needsEducator Perspectives: Selected Barriers to Implementation of School-Level Nutrition Policies
Fernandes CF, Schwartz MB, Ickovics JR, Basch CE. Educator Perspectives: Selected Barriers to Implementation of School-Level Nutrition Policies. Journal Of Nutrition Education And Behavior 2019, 51: 843-849. PMID: 30704936, DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.12.011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSchool-level policiesBasic needsSchool food policiesNutrition policiesSchool nutrition policiesSense of belongingStudent hungerEducators' responsesAssistant principalsClassroom policiesLocal educatorsEducatorsFood policyQualitative interviewsCultural normsFood insecurityEqual partnersUrban districtsPolicyPrincipalsTeachersImplementationSchoolsNeedReformPromoting Student Health and Well-Being with Digital Games
Fernandes, C. S. F., Boomer, T. M. P., Hieftje, K., Evanko, A., & Fiellin, L. E. (2021). Promoting Student Health and Well-Being with Digital Games. In Teaching in the Game-Based Classroom (pp. 121-135). Eye on Education.ChaptersEffectiveness of a Web-Based Tobacco Product use Prevention Videogame Intervention on Young Adolescents’ Beliefs and Knowledge
Hieftje KD, Fernandes CF, Lin IH, Fiellin LE. Effectiveness of a Web-Based Tobacco Product use Prevention Videogame Intervention on Young Adolescents’ Beliefs and Knowledge. Substance Abuse 2021, 42: 47-53. PMID: 31825759, DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2019.1691128.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTobacco product useVideogame interventionE-cigarettesElectronic cigarettesProduct useMcNemar testKnowledge questionsSingle group pre-post studyTobacco product initiationPre-post studySignificant differencesCigarette smokingProduct initiationTobacco useUse preventionHealthy beliefsPromising effectsKnowledge surveyInterventionVapingCigarettesDescriptive statisticsAdolescentsCorrect answersAge differencesMultidisciplinary Strategies for Preventing Opioid Misuse and Escalation by Targeting Mental Health Symptoms and Conditions
Yule A, Fernandes C, Stormshak E, Yang Y, Shelley L, Fiellin L, Larkin K, Ridenour T, Saavedra L, Kelleher K, Feng X, Walton M, Bonar E. Multidisciplinary Strategies for Preventing Opioid Misuse and Escalation by Targeting Mental Health Symptoms and Conditions. Prevention Science 2023, 24: 77-87. PMID: 37266870, PMCID: PMC10236392, DOI: 10.1007/s11121-023-01556-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health conditionsOpioid use disorderOpioid misuseMental health symptomsHealth conditionsHealth symptomsMental healthSubstance useEarly substance usePrevention interventionsHigh riskUse disordersMultidisciplinary strategyPrevention effortsIdentification of youthNational InstituteSymptomsHealthInterventionRiskMisuseAssociationA Video Game Intervention to Prevent Opioid Misuse Among Older Adolescents: Development and Preimplementation Study
Aneni K, Fernandes C, Hoerner L, Szapary C, Boomer T, Fiellin L. A Video Game Intervention to Prevent Opioid Misuse Among Older Adolescents: Development and Preimplementation Study. JMIR Serious Games 2023, 11: e46912. PMID: 37921851, PMCID: PMC10656656, DOI: 10.2196/46912.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOpioid misuseVideo game interventionMental health crisisMental healthPreventive interventionsOlder adolescentsGame interventionHealth Belief ModelMental health risksHealth crisisComorbid conditionsCurrent opioidFocus groupsSubstance misuseMental disordersProtective factorsBelief ModelInterventionDigital interventionsAdolescentsHealth risksFormative workHealthMisuseRiskA Serious Video Game Targeting HIV Testing and Counseling: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Boomer T, Larkin K, Duncan L, Fernandes C, Fiellin L. A Serious Video Game Targeting HIV Testing and Counseling: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal Of Adolescent Health 2023, 74: 252-259. PMID: 37815773, PMCID: PMC10841098, DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.08.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHIV testingPrimary outcome measureSecondary outcomesControlled TrialsHIV statusParental consent formsVideo game interventionOutcome measuresAge groupsConsent formTrialsMonthsWeeksGame interventionControl conditionOutcomesParticipantsCounselingStudy conditionsAdolescentsGroupSubjects ANOVASessionsParticipants' attitudesIntroduction to Helping to End Addiction Long-Term Prevention Cooperative: Overview and Strategies
Ridenour T, Saavedra L, Fernandes C, Cance J, Graham P, Oudekerk B. Introduction to Helping to End Addiction Long-Term Prevention Cooperative: Overview and Strategies. Prevention Science 2023, 24: 1-7. PMID: 36870020, PMCID: PMC9985075, DOI: 10.1007/s11121-023-01503-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSystematic Review of Interventions with Some School Involvement for School Refusal in High School–Age Adolescents
Fernandes, C.S.F., Kannoth, S., Pendergrass Boomer, T. M., Hieftje, K. D., & Fiellin, L. E. (2024). Systematic Review of Interventions with Some School Involvement for School Refusal in High School–Age Adolescents. Children & Schools, cdae003.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Use of Immersive Virtual Reality Spaces to Engage Adolescent and Young Adult Patients With Cancer in Therapist-Guided Support Groups: Protocol for a Pre-Post Study
Marks A, Garbatini A, Hieftje K, Puthenpura V, Weser V, Fernandes C. Use of Immersive Virtual Reality Spaces to Engage Adolescent and Young Adult Patients With Cancer in Therapist-Guided Support Groups: Protocol for a Pre-Post Study. JMIR Research Protocols 2023, 12: e48761. PMID: 37943596, PMCID: PMC10667982, DOI: 10.2196/48761.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchINTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIERYoung adult patientsSupport groupsAdult patientsYoung adultsMean attendance rateSupport group interventionNon-Hispanic blacksNon-Hispanic whitesOverall retention rateNon-Hispanic AsiansRare disease populationPeer support groupsFacilitated support groupBone marrow failureMedian ageCommon diagnosisPreliminary efficacyHematologic malignanciesDisease populationLife measuresPatientsFinal intervention sessionTransgender femalesPsychosocial support
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
Links & Media
News
- May 23, 2024Source: WTNH News 8
Mental Health Awareness Month: Born This Way Foundation
- April 25, 2024Source: WebMD
Building Kinder Communities: Addressing Youth Mental Health with Born This Way Foundation
- March 02, 2024Source: Fox 32 - Good Day Chicago
How you can support young people on World Teen Mental Wellness Day
- September 08, 2023Source: Futuremakers: 'Brain and Mental Health'
Supporting the mental health of young people