Sarah Chilenski has worked in prevention research and evaluation for more than 20 years. She became interested in the field after working with children led her to question the role that communities play in youth development and how community programs can be a source of support for those in need.
As Associate Research Professor, Dr. Chilenski focuses on how communities, schools, and universities can collaborate in the pursuit of quality youth prevention programming. Her current applied community research projects focus on:
- community collaboration
- technical assistance for community coalition models supporting public health
- dissemination of evidence-based programs and sustainability, and
- community context-related youth outcomes.
Dr. Chilenski has played major research roles in projects such as PROSPER and Communities That Care, and leads the process evaluation for the Evidence2Success® framework. The recently-funded Coalition Check-Up project will further her work by testing the feasibility of proactive, regular, relationship-based, data-informed, and coalition-driven technical assistance system for community prevention and health promotion coalitions. She aims to examine youth outcomes of community prevention activities while using data to help empower participating communities.
Dr. Chilenski has authored 25 peer-reviewed journal articles that have appeared in American Journal of Community Psychology, Prevention Science, Evaluation and Program Planning, and Journal of Research in Rural and Community Development, among others.
I am passionate about promoting strong community collaboration to promote healthy youth development.
- Sarah Chilenski
Contact Information
314-599-3737
sem268@psu.edu
she/her
Sarah Chilenski has worked in prevention research and evaluation for more than 20 years. She became interested in the field after working with children led her to question the role that communities play in youth development and how community programs can be a source of support for those in need.
As Associate Research Professor, Dr. Chilenski focuses on how communities, schools, and universities can collaborate in the pursuit of quality youth prevention programming. Her current applied community research projects focus on:
- community collaboration
- technical assistance for community coalition models supporting public health
- dissemination of evidence-based programs and sustainability, and
- community context-related youth outcomes.
Dr. Chilenski has played major research roles in projects such as PROSPER and Communities That Care, and leads the process evaluation for the Evidence2Success® framework. The recently-funded Coalition Check-Up project will further her work by testing the feasibility of proactive, regular, relationship-based, data-informed, and coalition-driven technical assistance system for community prevention and health promotion coalitions. She aims to examine youth outcomes of community prevention activities while using data to help empower participating communities.
Dr. Chilenski has authored 25 peer-reviewed journal articles that have appeared in American Journal of Community Psychology, Prevention Science, Evaluation and Program Planning, and Journal of Research in Rural and Community Development, among others.
I am passionate about promoting strong community collaboration to promote healthy youth development.
- Sarah Chilenski
Evaluation of the Evidence2Success® Framework for the Annie E. Casey Foundation 
PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER) 
Investing in prevention infrastructure: Economic evaluation of the PROSPER delivery and support system 
Resilient, Engaged & Active Community Health (REACH) 
Expanding PROSPER to Address Increasing Mental Health Needs 
Coordination and Dissemination of Technical Assistance to Support Rural Communities 
Building Interconnected Prevention Systems to Address Substance Misuse Using PROSPER 
Randomized Trial of a Data-driven Technical Assistance System for Drug Prevention Coalitions (Coalition CheckUp) 
Growing Evidence-Based Prevention in Pennsylvania to Address Opioid Misuse 
Support to Adapt and Test the Feasibility of Implementing the Evidence-based Head Start REDI with Preschool Native American Children and their Families 
Longitudinal Effectiveness of Communities That Care on Reducing Youth Risk Factors 
Evaluation of the Evidence2Success™ Framework
- Evaluation of the Evidence2Success® Framework for the Annie E. Casey Foundation
- PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER)
- Investing in prevention infrastructure: Economic evaluation of the PROSPER delivery and support system
- Resilient, Engaged & Active Community Health (REACH)
- Expanding PROSPER to Address Increasing Mental Health Needs
- Coordination and Dissemination of Technical Assistance to Support Rural Communities
- Building Interconnected Prevention Systems to Address Substance Misuse Using PROSPER
- Randomized Trial of a Data-driven Technical Assistance System for Drug Prevention Coalitions (Coalition CheckUp)
- Growing Evidence-Based Prevention in Pennsylvania to Address Opioid Misuse
- Support to Adapt and Test the Feasibility of Implementing the Evidence-based Head Start REDI with Preschool Native American Children and their Families
- Longitudinal Effectiveness of Communities That Care on Reducing Youth Risk Factors
- Evaluation of the Evidence2Success™ Framework
Chilenski, S. M., Gayles, J., Luneke, A., Lew, D., Villarruel, F., Penilla, M. L., Henderson, C., Wilson, H., & Gary, L. (2023). Journal of Community Psychology. Advance online publication.
Brown, L.D., Wells, R., Chilenski, S.M. (2022). Evaluation and Program Planning, 92.
Chilenski, S. M., Welsh, J. A., Perkins, D. F., & Hoffman, L. (2020). Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. Advance online publication.
Chilenski, S. M., & Chrisler, A. J. (2019). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University. 28 pp. Annie E. Casey Foundation Grant #212.0235, to PI Chilenski.
Chilenski, S. M., Frank, J., Summers, N., & Lew, D. (2019). Prevention Science, 20, 947-958.
Chilenski, S. M., Welsh, J., Olson, J., Hoffman, L., Perkins, D., & Feinberg, M. E. (2018). Prevention Science, 19, 250-259.
Brown, L. D., Wells, R., Jones, E. C., & Chilenski, S. (2017). Prevention Science, 18(5), 600-609. PMID: PMC5510985
Brown, L., Chilenski, S., Ramos, R., Gallegos, N., & Feinberg, M. E. (2016). Health Education and Behavior, 43(2), 145-155.
Chilenski, S. M., & Summers, N. M. (2016). In T. Gullotta & M. Bloom (Eds.), Social capital: A blueprint for engaging citizens to promote the social and civic health of communities. New York: Springer.
Chilenski, S. M., Gayles, J., Luneke, A., Lew, D., Villarruel, F., Penilla, M. L., Henderson, C., Wilson, H., & Gary, L. (2023). Journal of Community Psychology. Advance online publication.
Brown, L.D., Wells, R., Chilenski, S.M. (2022). Evaluation and Program Planning, 92.
Chilenski, S. M., Welsh, J. A., Perkins, D. F., & Hoffman, L. (2020). Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. Advance online publication.
Chilenski, S. M., & Chrisler, A. J. (2019). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University. 28 pp. Annie E. Casey Foundation Grant #212.0235, to PI Chilenski.
Chilenski, S. M., Frank, J., Summers, N., & Lew, D. (2019). Prevention Science, 20, 947-958.
Chilenski, S. M., Welsh, J., Olson, J., Hoffman, L., Perkins, D., & Feinberg, M. E. (2018). Prevention Science, 19, 250-259.
Brown, L. D., Wells, R., Jones, E. C., & Chilenski, S. (2017). Prevention Science, 18(5), 600-609. PMID: PMC5510985
Brown, L., Chilenski, S., Ramos, R., Gallegos, N., & Feinberg, M. E. (2016). Health Education and Behavior, 43(2), 145-155.
Chilenski, S. M., & Summers, N. M. (2016). In T. Gullotta & M. Bloom (Eds.), Social capital: A blueprint for engaging citizens to promote the social and civic health of communities. New York: Springer.
