Photo of Jodie Buntain-Ricklefs

Jodie Buntain-Ricklefs, MPH, MSW

Managing Director / Research Lead
(206) 616-9392
Box 354920 / Room 120G
  • Biography
  • Projects
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Jodie Buntain-Ricklefs graduated with and an MSW and an MPH in Maternal and Child Health and Health Services from the University of Washington and has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. Jodie has worked for over 15 years with K-12 schools throughout the US and at the state level in the areas of research, prevention, evaluation and program development. She has provided technical assistance, training and consultation to school teams on a wide range of topics including mental health services, substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, injury prevention, and health education. Prior to working with schools, Jodie worked in the area of outpatient community mental health, childhood injury prevention and health promotion. She is very enthusiastic about supporting youth and working with schools, community providers, local and state agencies on the implementation and use of evidence-based practices surrounding supporting student mental health.

This planning grant is designed to develop a school-specific adaptation of the Collaborative Care model and associated training materials in order to: (1) Enhance capacity to provide SBMH services by increasing the number of healthcare providers (including primary care providers and indigenous school-based personnel) who can participate in the delivery of mental health services to youth experiencing mood and anxiety problems; (2) Improve SBMH accessibility by reducing stigma via the utilization of primary care providers and indigenous school personnel as points of entry for services; and (3) Increase the extent to which SBMH services reflect high quality evidence-based practices.
This project will iteratively develop and pilot a brief professional development training to enhance teachers' skills in establishing, maintaining, and restoring relationships with high school students, particularly those from marginalized racial/ethnic groups.
The University of Washington Research Institute for Implementation Science in Education (RIISE) is the first of its kind and reflects a collaborative, innovative effort to develop the implementation research workforce in education and improve educational and related outcomes. Led by a group of Core Faculty with extensive experience conducting implementation research in schools, RIISE provides training and mentorship to established education scholars (Fellows) to increase their expertise in conceptualizing, designing, and executing implementation research studies. Specifically, the RIISE training program will support Fellows in acquiring, building fluency with, and applying implementation research knowledge and skills in their education research to develop high-quality implementation studies that bridge the “last mile” in which education research fails to reach the individuals for whom it was intended. Learn more about RIISE here. A light blue book lays open with a yellow and orange sun coming out from it. “RIISE” lays on top of the sun in orange lettering with the two I’s in dark blue going up invisible steps. To the right in dark blue is “Research Institute for Implementation Science in Education.”
Using stakeholder input to guide cultural and contextual adaptations for a universal school-based intervention(2020)The Urban Review52:853-879.
Brief teacher training improves student behavior and student–teacher relationships in middle school(2019)School Psychology34(2):212–221.
Brief training for teachers improves student behavior and student-teacher relationships in middle school.(2018)School Psychology Quarterly34:212-221.