Shamra Boel-Studt

Shamra Boel-Studt’s expertise centers on residential and out-of-home care for high-acuity, system-involved youth, with a focus on quality, effectiveness, and evidence-based practice. Her work examines how child-serving systems and policy environments shape behavioral health access, placement decisions, and outcomes. She specializes in the development and theory-driven evaluation of quality standards and uses applied, mixed-methods approaches, with an emphasis on lived experience, to drive system improvement and practice innovation. In 2022, she founded the Institute for Quality Children’s Services (IQCS), which advances the quality of care for children and families through research, evaluation, and system partnership. The IQCS works with state, national, and international partners to develop and implement quality standards, support continuous quality improvement, and translate evidence into practice and policy across residential, foster care, and community-based systems.

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AREAS OF FOCUS

• At-risk Youth
• Child Welfare
• Family-Centered Practice 
• Residential Youth Care 
• Youth Trauma & Victimization 
• Implementation and Intervention Research
• Social Policy
• Quality Measurement and Improvement Systems for Children's Services
• Quantitative Methods 

EDUCATION

• PhD, 2014, University of Iowa School; Social Work
• MSW, 2009, University of Iowa; Social Work
• BA, 2003, Coe College; Psychology

SELECTED PEER-REVIEW ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS

Boel-Studt, S. M., Huefner, J. C., & Dowdy-Hazlett, T. (2025). Validity of the Quality Standards Assessment for children's residential care. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 43, 272-295. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2025.2460832

Boel-Studt, S. M., Deichen Hansen, M., & Dowdy Hazlett, T. (2024). The LIFE Model for trauma affected youth: A mixed methods examination. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 18, 397-421. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2023.2204828

Boel-Studt, S. M., Huang, H., & Collins, C. (2023). "I hope my voice is heard.": A mixed-methods study of youths' perceptions of residential care. Children & Youth Services Review, 152, 107034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107034

Boel-Studt, S. M., & Dowdy-Hazlett, T. (2023). Reflections on care experiences among early, middle, and late adolescents in residential care. Developmental Child Welfare, 5, 95-111. https://doi.org/10.1177/25161032231184972

Boel-Studt, S. M. (2021). Treatment mediators and outcomes of latent classes of youth in psychiatric residential treatment. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 15, 15-26 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-021-00344-2

Boel-Studt, S., Flynn, Heather, A., Deichen Hansen, M. E., & Panisch, L. S. (2021). Enhancing behavioral health services for child welfare-involved parents: A qualitative study. Journal of Public Child Welfare, doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2021.1942389

Boel-Studt, S., Vasquez, M., Randolph, K., & Dowdy, T. (2021). A survey of trauma education provided within accredited social work programs in the United States and Canada. Journal of Social Work Education. doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2021.1885540
 
Boel-Studt, S. (2021). Treatment mediators and outcomes of latent classes of youth in psychiatric residential treatment. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma. doi.org/10.1007/s40653-021-00344-2

Boel-Studt, S., & Schelbe, L. (2020). Elementary-age children in therapeutic residential care: Examining latent classes, service provision, and treatment outcomes. Child Abuse and Neglect, 108. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104661

Boel-Studt, S., Huefner, J. C., & Huang, H. (2019). The Group Care Quality Standards Assessment: A framework for assessment, quality improvement, and effectiveness. Children and Youth Services Review, 28. doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104425

GRANTS AND CONTRACTS

Boel-Studt, Shamra Marie (PI subcontract). (Sep 2023–Aug 2028). Provider Clinical & Programmatic Support - Heightened Monitoring (PCPSHM) 2024 - 2025. Funded Texas Department of Family Protective Services. (745 0001390011). Total award $472,356.

Boel-Studt, S. (PI subcontract). (Apr 2021–Aug 2026). RTC Project – Years 1-4. Funded by Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (745 00014489777). Subcontract Total award $336,509.

Boel-Studt, S. (PI). (Jun 2024–Sep 2026). Service Trajectories of Children Entering Initial Residential Placement via CPS or Non-CPS Pathways. Funded by Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (0000004132). Total award $50,000.

Boel-Studt, Shamra Marie (PI). (Jul 2024–Jun 2025). The Caregiver Journey: An In-Depth, Multiple-Case Study of Families’ Experiences with Accessing Residential Care for Their Children with High Level Needs. Funded by Florida Institute for Child Welfare. Total award $124,252.

Boel-Studt, S. (PI). (Jul 2016–Jun 2024). An Assessment of Quality Standards for Florida's Department of Children and Families Licensed Residential Group Homes. Funded by The Florida Department of Children and Families [2018-2024]; Florida Institute for Child Welfare [2016-2018]. (LJ987). Total award $892,238

Radey, M. (PI) & Boel-Studt (Co-PI). (Jun 2021 – Jun 2022). Maternity Group Homes for Young Mothers in Florida: A Mixed Methods Examination. Funded by the Florida Institute For Child Welfare, Priority Research Award. Total award $50,000.

Boel-Studt, S. & Huefner, J. (Feb 2021–Aug 2022). Integrating Evidence-Supported Practice and Quality Standards for Texas' Residential Treatment Centers. Funded by Texas Health and Human Services Commission, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, Department of Psychiatry. Total award $95,830.

Boel-Studt, S. (PI) & Huang, H., (Co-PI) (Jul 2016–Jun 2022). An Assessment of Quality Standards for Florida's Department of Children and Families Licensed Residential Group Homes. Funded by The Florida Department of Children and Families & The Florida Institute for Child Welfare. Total award $598,020.

Boel-Studt, S. (PI). (Dec 2016–Jun 2018). Evaluation of the LIFE Model of Group Care for At-risk Youth. Funded by Florida State University Council on Research and Creativity Planning Grant. Total award $13,000.

Flynn, H. A. (PI), Boel-Studt, S. (Co-PI), & Babcock, P. (Jul 2016–Nov 2018). Enhancing Parental Behavioral Health Services Integration in Child Welfare. Funded by Florida Institute for Child Welfare Research Grant. Total award $198,713.