Personal profile
Biography
Dr. Reyes is a social scientist and human development researcher with expertise in program evaluation and implementation science. She joined USU's Department of Pediatrics in 2025 as a Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) Scientist and Assistant Professor in the Division of Military Child and Family Research. Her recent work explores how military life impacts children's development, with the goal of buliding the evidence for interventions that support child and family mental health and well-being. As co-investigator on a congressionally funded initiative aimed at improving mental health access for military-connected children and adolescents with behavioral health needs, Dr. Reyes supports multiple studies to understand barriers and facilitators to high-quality care. Grounded in community-based participatory approaches, Dr. Reyes leverages quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods within collaborative community partnerships to deliver context-informed, culturally relevant and actionable insights.
Prior to joining USU, Dr. Reyes worked as a Research Associate and Lead Quantitative Analyst at a private research firm, where she served as co-PI for a prospective statewide cluster randomized control trial of a new kinship and adoption navigation program funded by the state of Ohio. She was also co-PI for a retrospective quasi-experimental study of a safety management intervention to prevent foster care placement for children at imminent risk of maltreatment in Nevada. In addition to her roles at USU, Dr. Reyes serves as an Assessment and Evaluation Analyst at Johns Hopkins University, where she leads randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies of educational interventions.
Education/Academic qualification
Child and Family Studies, PhD, The University of Tennessee
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master, The University of Tennessee
Psychology , Bachelor, University of Tennessee
External positions
Assessment and Evaluation Analyst , Johns Hopkins University
Keywords
- H Social Sciences (General)
- RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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A Statewide Cluster Randomized Trial to Test the Impact of the Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator (OhioKAN) Program on Caregiver and Child Outcomes
Kaye, S., Reyes, L. M. & Hood, S., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work (United States).Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Impact of Safe@Home on Placement and Permanency Outcomes: Results of a Quasi-Experimental Study
Reyes, L. M. & Kaye, S., Feb 2024, In: Child Maltreatment. 29, 1, p. 202-213 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Scopus citations -
Increasing the likelihood of kinship Placements: Testing the effectiveness of an intensive family search and engagement intervention
Goering, E. S., Kaye, S., Reyes, L., Beleal, S., Almadani, A., Proctor-Frazier, C. & Rosman, E., Jan 2024, In: Children and Youth Services Review. 156, 107330.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Scopus citations -
Initial Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of New Survey Measures to Evaluate Family Outcomes of Kinship and Adoption Navigator Programs
Reyes, L. M., Kaye, S. & Hood, S., 1 Jan 2024, In: Families in Society. 105, 1, p. 107-122 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Scopus citations -
Happy, healthy, and needs met: how kinship caregivers define success and well-being
Lorthridge, J., Reyes, L., Rosman, E. & Kaye, S., 2023, In: Child Welfare. 101, 4Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Press/Media
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Preterm children have similar temperament to children who were institutionally deprived
12/11/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media