Melissa Pearrow
Executive Director, BIRCh Center
Biography
Melissa Pearrow, PhD is a Professor of School Psychology and the Executive Director of the Behavioral health Integrated Resources for Children (BIRCh) Center.
Area of Expertise
Comprehensive School Mental Health
Degrees
Ph.D. School Psychology (APA-Approved Program), Northeastern University
M.S. School Psychology (NASP-Approved Program), University of Central Arkansas
B.A. Special Education, Harding University
Professional Publications & Contributions
Priest, A., Berkman, T., Ruggeri, K., Laenan, D., Osborn, J. Kurtz, K., & Pearrow, M. (2026). The lived experiences of mobile crisis collaboration: A spotlight on the school-based professionals, parents, and mobile crisis clinicians. Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion.
Pearrow, M., Walker, W., Battal, J.S., Daniels, B., Kaye, A., & Ervin, A. (2025). The impact of student and school factors on early adolescent behavioral health: Exploring the urban middle school context. Middle School Journal, 56 (1), 11-22. DOI: 10.1080/00940771.2024.2426435
Brodsky, L., Iun, A., Ervin, A., Cook, A., & Pearrow, M. (2025). Exploring systems-level family engagement practices across elementary and PK-8 schools. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 35 (1), 1–29. DOI: 10.1080/10474412.2023.2269389
Fenning, P., Pearrow, M., & Politikis, N. (Eds.). (2023). NASP 2020 professional practice standards: Applications and opportunities for school-based consultation [Special issue]. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 34. DOI:10.1080/10474412.2022.2154675
Kurtz, K.D., Pearrow, M., Battal, J., Collier-Meek, M., Cohen, J.A., & Walker, W. (2023). Adapting social emotional learning curricula for an urban context via focus groups: Process and outcomes. School Psychology Review. DOI:10.1080/2372966X.2021.2021782
Pearrow, M., Amador, A., & Dennery, S. (2021). Community Partnership Consultation Model: A consultative approach for supporting school-based behavioral health. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 31, 82-98. DOI:10.1080/10474412.2019.1663743
Additional Information
The Behavioral health Integrated Resources for Children (BIRCh) Center advances equitable interconnected behavioral health systems that support children and their caregivers in Massachusetts by building school districts’ capacities for implementation of integrated behavioral health, fostering community partnerships, providing pre-service training and professional development, and advancing best practices through translational research.