Leena K. Augimeri, PhD

Leena Augimeri, PhD is Director of SNAP ® Scientific, Program Development, Strategic partnerships at Child Development Institute (CDI), Toronto, Canada and SNAP co-founder and Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto. Her expertise focuses on measurement-based care and the development of a comprehensive children’s mental health and crime prevention models designed for children engaged in disruptive behavior and/or in conflict with the law. This includes referral mechanisms for timely access, risk/need assessment (using the EARL-V3) and evidence-based SNAP models. 

SNAP (Stop Now And Plan) is a trauma-informed cognitive behavioral model that has three focused program models (SNAP Clinical for middle years children and their families, SNAP Universal – SNAP for Schools, and SNAP Youth Justice). The SNAP strategy teaches children/youth how to stop and think before they act and make better choices ‘in the moment’ by increasing emotion regulation, self-control and problem-solving. Dr. Augimeri has published extensively and is the first author of the EARL (Early Assessment Risk List). She has received numerous awards, including National Recipient of the CAMH Difference Makers of 150 Leading Canadians for Mental Health, Child Welfare League of Canada’s Outstanding Achievement Research/Evaluation Award, Prime Minister’s Regional Social Innovation Award and Elizabeth Manson Award for exemplary contributions to the promotion of children’s mental health). In addition, Dr. Augimeri just completed a very successful large-scale national 5-year implementation project that brought SNAP to over 160 communities in Canada using a unique framework in children’s mental health and crime prevention – venture philanthropy.