I. David Acevedo-Polakovich Ph.D.
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Address: Email:david.acevedo@cmich.edu |
Research Interest:
My work is focused on identifying effective health and human services for youth and families who have been historically under-served. Historically under-served groups include ethnic and cultural minorities, the poor, rural populations, and LGBTQ groups. There are two main characteristics to the services I study and work with:
First, I tend to focus on services that have developed within these historically underserved communities. I do this because I believe understanding these naturally-occurring services can give us important scientific insights in many areas including -but not limited to- cultural-competence. This is most often called a Practice-Based Evidence approach (although other terms, such as Community Defined Evidence, are sometimes used).
Second, I tend to focus on youth development programs. Although sharing the goals of “prevention” programs, youth development programs are based on the premise that “problem free is not the same as fully prepared.” To use a very concrete example, preventing drug use in a young person who is growing up in a community where drug use is rampant is helpful; however, it is even more helpful to support that young person in graduating high school, attending college, and being a good parent. I work with programs more often than with individuals in part because I believe this has a broader impact on historically underserved youth and families.
My current research and practice occur primarily in partnership with three community-based youth development programs. Respectively, these programs focus on: (1) Providing youth with the skills to create just and inclusive schools and communities; (2) Infusing youth from communities that typically do not have much academic achievement with the skills, motivation, and resources to persist and succeed in school, and; (3) Supporting gang-involved youth who want to pursue pro-social change.
My work, whether research or practice, is most often grounded in community psychology and social justice principles. In practical terms, this means that in order to ensure a just and equitable society I partner with communities and use psychological science and practice to understand and influence the issues important to them.
Recent Research:
Acevedo-Polakovich, I.D., Lyons, E. M., & Gerhart, J. I. (under preparation). Developing the Science and Practice of Youth Development and Prevention: A Guide to Partnering with Community-based Programs. Unpublished Manuscript.
Acevedo-Polakovich, I. D., Bell, B., Gamache, P. (2009). Service Accessibility for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth. Manuscript under review.
Hernandez, M., Nesman, T., Mowery, D., Acevedo-Polakovich, I. D., & Callejas, L.M. (2009). Cultural Competence: A review and conceptual model for mental health services. Psychiatric Services, 60, 1046-1050.
Domenech Rodriguez, M. M. & Acevedo-Polakovich, I. D. (2008, Fall/Winter).Community Defined Evidence: Building Confidence in our Science and Practice. El Boletín, 11-12.
Isaacs, M.R., Huang, L.N., Hernandez, M. Echo-Hawk, H., Acevedo-Polakovich, I.D., & Martinez, K. (2008). Services for Youth and their Families in Diverse Communities. In B.A. Stroul & G.M. Blau (Eds.) The System of Care Handbook: Transforming Mental Health Services for Children, Youth, and Families (pp.619-639). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.