Dr. Poulsen's policy, research and program development work focuses on building resilience in infants and young children at risk due to biological and psychosocial circumstances. She specializes in infant/family and early childhood mental health issues related to maternal depression, child welfare, trauma, prematurity, substance exposure, and autism. She has worked extensively with state and local Departments of Developmental Services, Mental Health, Social Services, Education, Drug and Alcohol Programs, as well as Head Start and Child Care Programs. She has received governor appointments to the California Child Development Policy Committee and the California Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Intervention. On the national level Dr. Poulsen has participated in the White House Conference on Mental Health, the Surgeon General Workshop on Violence and Public Health, the National Infant Mental Health Summit and the National Head Start Strategic Plan.
Current Roles
• Professor Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
• Chief Psychologist, USC UCEDD
• Leadership Team, USC UCEDD
• Coordinator, USC UCEDD Early Intervention Programs
• Autism Treatment Network, National Behavioral Science Committee
• Psychology Director, LEND
• Member, Ethics Resource Committee, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
• Principal Investigator, Project ABC, SAMHSA Cooperative Agreement
• Investigator, Boone-Fetter Clinic Registry
• Investigator, Autism in the Urban Context, NIH Grant
• Coordinator, USC UCEDD Head Start and Early Head Start Consultation Programs
• Member, California State Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC)
• Chair, Quality Personnel Committee, State ICC
• Steering Committee, California Center for infant/Family and Early Childhood Training
• Task Force Member, Los Angeles County Perinatal Mental Health Task Force
Education
• Ph.D University of Southern California, Psychology & Exceptional Children
Areas of Interest
• Building resilience in infants and young children & families w/ psychosocial & biological risks
• Developmental disabilities and special health care needs
• Prematurity & other perinatal risks (substance exposure)
• Maternal depression
• Child Welfare, Kinship & Foster Care
• Head Start & Early Head Start
• Part C of IDEA
