The Center for Adolescent Behavioral Health Research (CABHRe) is based at Boston Children’s Hospital, the pediatric research and teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. Preceded by the Center for Adolescent Substance Use Research (CeASAR, 1999-2020), CABHRe has an expanded focus on behavioral and mental health issues in adolescence in addition to substance use.
We seek to develop, test, and disseminate innovative and effective strategies pertaining to prevention, early detection, and intervention for leading behavioral and mental health concerns in adolescence and emerging adulthood.
CABHRe Co-Director Dr. Lydia Shrier’s mentee, Dr. Carlos (Charlie) Melendez, presented at NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Meeting in April 2026
Dr. Melendez says: “I feel honored and excited to have presented the results and progress of our work, looking at substance use interventions for sexual and gender minority youth. A big thank you to NIDA CTN and SAHM’s Mentored Facilitated Award.”
New article: Cannabis intervention among Iranian young adults
Dr. Lydia Shrier co-authored a new article analyzing mobile-based ecological momentary motivational enhancement therapy among Iranian young adults with CUD. Read more...
Drs. Lydia A. Shrier, Sion K. Harris, and Maddie O'Connell, MPH, co-authored this article exploring whether screening mode affects the likelihood of youth reporting their substance use.
Masland Day 2025
For this year's Masland Day, BCH welcomed Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, Professor at Stanford University and Founder/Director of the REACH Lab. CABHRe's Dr. Shivani Gaiha is a REACH Lab alum!
Dr. Sion Kim Harris wins award
Dr. Sion Kim Harris won the Best Abstract award at the 2025 INEBRIA conference in San Francisco, CA. Her abstract discussed trial results of a scaled-up computer-facilitated screening and brief intervention in pediatric primary care. Congratulations, Sion!
Congrats on your promotion, Shivani!
Dr. Shivani Gaiha was promoted to Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
Our Team
- Sion Kim Harris, PhD, CPH, Co-Director
- Lydia A. Shrier, MD, MPH, Co-Director
- Shivani Mathur Gaiha, PhD, Associate Investigator
- Madison (Maddie) O’Connell, MPH, Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
- Foday Nabbie, BS, Clinical Research Assistant
Learn more about our team…
Our Projects
Our Partners
See more of our funders…
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) Network
- CHADIS, Inc.
- Pamela Burke, PhD, RN, PPCNP-BC, FSAHM, FAAN
- Aaron Hogue, PhD, Partnership to End Addiction
- Kristen Woodberry, MSW, PhD, Maine Medical Center
See more of our collaborators…
