Brian Chor
Research Fellow
Dr. Brian Chor is a Research Fellow at Chapin Hall. Chor is a licensed clinical psychologist and a child welfare and child mental health services researcher. Chor’s research areas focus on leveraging child welfare administrative data and applying predictive modeling methods to support child welfare decision-making and improve children’s outcomes. At Chapin Hall, Chor leads a portfolio of research and program evaluation projects, funded by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), to provide data-informed evidence and strategic supports to DCFS. This scope of work includes evaluations of residential care for children, monitoring of residential programs, therapeutic foster care, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, a pilot intervention for youth who are dually involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, as well as a comprehensive model of strategies to improve casework, supervision, and child welfare practices.
Chor also provides expert consultation to the New York City Administration for Children’s Services to implement the residential care provisions, including Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP), under the Family First Prevention Services Act. At the national level, Chor leads a study to examine state-by-state implementation of QRTP to provide guidance to policymakers and legislators on optimal implementation strategies and best practices.
Prior to coming to Chapin Hall, Chor was a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Chor used his expertise to improve the measurement and evidence base of technical assistance in child-serving systems at the National Resource Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention and the Youth Violence Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Center.
Chor holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from Tufts University. Chor is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Illinois.
PhD in Clinical Psychology, Northwestern University
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, Northwestern University
Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology, Tufts University
Chor, K. H. B. (2022, January). Using the CANS to support out-of-home placement decision-making and child welfare outcomes. Video presented at the Center for Innovation in Population Health, Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky (virtual due to COVID-19).
Weiner, D. A., Chor, K. H. B., & Stiehl, M. J. (2021, April). Leading with evidence: Analytic approaches to developing a continuum of preventive services in child welfare. Training funded by the Casey Family Programs (virtual due to COVID-19).
Jacobs, L., Chor, K. H. B., Keenan-Devlin, P., & Hopkins, M. (2021, March). Career in human rights: Dually involved youth children involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Panel discussion presented at the Center for the Human Rights for Children, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL (virtual due to COVID-19).
Weiner, D. A., Chor, K. H. B., & Stiehl, M. J. (2021, February). Leading with evidence: Analytic approaches to developing a continuum of preventive services in child welfare. Training funded by the Casey Family Programs (virtual due to COVID-19).
Chor, K. H. B., Luo, Z., & Epstein, R. A. (2020, November). Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), qualified residential treatment program (QRTP), and predictive analytics. Symposium presented at the 16th Annual Transformational Collaborative Outcome Management (TCOM) Conference, A Cloud Gathering. Meeting Each Other Where We Are: Collaboration in a COVID-19 World (virtual due to COVID-19).
Weiner, D. A., Chor, K. H. B., Stiehl, M. J., & Clapier, B. (2020, October). Leading with evidence: Analytic approaches to developing a continuum of preventive services in child welfare. Training funded by the Casey Family Programs (virtual due to COVID-19).
Pérez, A. G., Harris, R. J., & Chor, K. H. B. (2020, August). Factors predicting patterns of service use among John F. Chafee independent living services recipients. Symposium accepted at the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) 2020 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (cancelled due to COVID-19).
Epstein, R. A., Byers, K. D., Chor, K. H. B., Luo, Z., & Jordan, N. (2020, July). Impact of safety organizing on children’s residential treatment outcomes. Virtual poster presented at the 2020 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Boston, MA.
Epstein, R. A., Chor, K. H. B., Luo, Z., Lindsey, T., & Cull, M. J. (2020, July). Impact of safety organizing on child welfare outcomes. Virtual poster presented at the 2020 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Boston, MA.
Chor, K. H. B., Epstein, R. A., & Luo, Z. (2019, October). Predicting youth’s runaway in a child welfare system. Presentation at the 15th Annual Transformational Collaborative Outcome Management (TCOM) Conference, Indian Wells, CA.
Chor, K. H. B., Luo, Z., & Epstein, R. A. (2019, October). Predicting youth’s runaway in a child welfare system. Poster presented at the 66th American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Chor, K. H. B., Luo, Z., & Epstein, R. A. (2019, June). Predicting entry to juvenile detention among youth in the child welfare system. Poster presented at the 2019 Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA) 17th Biennial Conference, Chicago, IL.
Epstein, R. A., Chor, K. H. B., & Luo, Z. (2019, June). Predicting youth’s entry to residential care in a child welfare system. Poster presented at the 2019 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Washington, DC.
Weiner, D. A. & Chor, K. H. B. (2019, May). Using predictive analytics to inform child welfare preventive services in New York City. Forum presented at the 2019 Illinois Predictive Analytics Forum, Chicago, IL.
Chor, K. H. B. & Anderson, C. (2018, October). Family First Prevention Services Act: Considerations for the use of predictive analytics. Symposium presented at the 2018 State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center Convening, Baltimore, MD.
Epstein R. A., Chor K. H. B., Gracey K. A., & Weiner D. A. (2018, April). Child well-being and the Family First Prevention Act of 2017. Speaker session presented at the Strengthening Permanency Together: Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (AAICAMA) National Conference 2018, Chicago, IL.
Chor, K. H. B., De Candia, T., DePanfilis, D., Rodriguez, M. Y., Schroff, R., Weiner, D. A., & Yaroni, A. (2018, January). Opening the black box: Ethically responsible use of big data. Research methods workshop presented at the Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
Chor, K. H. B., Petras, H., & Pérez, A. G. (2016, June). Identifying U.S. youth subgroups who receive John F. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program Services under the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. Poster session presented at the Society for Prevention Research 24th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Olin, S. S., Chor, K. H. B., Weaver, J., Duan N., Kerker, B. D., Clark, L., Cleek, A. F., McKay M. M., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2014, November). Predictors of clinic behavior: Why they adopt what they do. Symposium conducted at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 48th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA.
Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S. S., Weaver, J., Cleek, A. F., McKay, M. M., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2014, April). Characterizing clinic adoption of child mental health initiatives in New York State. Poster session presented at the 22nd National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Conference on Mental Health Services Research (MHSR), Bethesda, MD.
Kerker, B. D., Chor, K. H. B., Hoagwood, K. E., Radigan, M., Perkins, M., Setias, J., Wang, R., Olin, S. S., & Horwitz, S. M. (2014, April). Increasing the detection and treatment of mental health issues by pediatric providers in New York State: An evaluation of Project TEACH. Poster session presented at the 22nd National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Conference on Mental Health Services Research (MHSR), Bethesda, MD.
Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S. S., Weaver, J., Cleek, A. F., McKay, M. M., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2013, November). Characterizing clinic adoption of child mental health initiatives in New York State. Poster session presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 47th Annual Convention, Nashville, TN.
Stein, B. D., Sorbero, M., Leckman-Westin, E., Okeke, E., Scharf, D. M., Chen, Q., Finnerty, M., Chor, K. H. B., & Wisdom, J. P. (2013, June). The effects of prior authorization policies on Medicaid-enrolled children’s use of antipsychotic medications. Poster session presented at the 59th American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Wisdom, J. P., Leckman-Westin, E., Chor, K. H. B., Shen, S., Chen, Q., Stein, B., . . . Hoagwood, K. E. (2012, October). Psychiatric polypharmacy among children: Impact of a quality improvement initiative. Poster session presented at the 2013 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
Wisdom, J. P., Chor, K. H. B., Hoagwood, K., & Horwitz, S. M. (2012, March). Innovation adoption of evidence-based treatments and practices: A realist review. Poster session presented at the 5th Annual NIH Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation, Bethesda, MD.
Chor, K. H. B., & Baker, M. (2009, August). Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Statewide Provider Database. Symposium conducted at the 2009 Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS) Conference, Chicago, IL.
Chor, K. H. B., McClelland, G. M., & Jordan, N. (2009, June). Using CANS as a placement decision support algorithm to predict clinical outcomes of youth in child welfare placed in residential treatment. Symposium conducted at the 2009 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Chor, K. H. B., McClelland, G. M., & Jordan, N. (2009, May). Following a placement decision support algorithm predicted clinical improvement in residential treatment. Poster session presented at the 21st Association for Psychological Science (APS) Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Chor, K. H. B., McClelland, G. M., & Jordan, N. (2008, September). Using CANS as a level of care assessment tool to predict clinical outcomes of youth in residential treatment. Symposium conducted at the 5th Annual Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Conference, Nashville, TN.
2015 Summer Research Institute Fellow, National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University
2014 Outstanding Researcher (employment-based immigration first preference), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
2011 George Yacorzynski Award for Dissertation Excellence, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
2007 National Scholar Honor Society
2006 Phi Beta Kappa, Tufts University
2006 Summa cum laude, Tufts University
2004 Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology
2002-05 Dean’s List, Tufts University
Journal Articles
Chor, K. H. B., Epstein, R. A., & Luo, Z. (2022). Developing and validating a predictive risk model for youth placement in residential care to support decision-making under the Family First Preservation Services Act. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth. doi: 10.1080/0886571X.2022.2111018
Shimshock, S., Chor, K. H. B., & Brylske, P. D. (2022). Using latent class analysis to identify clinical subgroups and pathways of youth in a therapeutic foster care program. Children and Youth Services Review, 106626. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106626
Pérez, A. G., Harris, R. J., & Chor, K. H. B. (2020). Factors predicting patterns of service use among John F. Chafee independent living services recipients. Child Welfare, 97(6), 21–51.
Chor, K. H. B., Petras, H., & Pérez, A. G. (2018). Youth subgroups who receive John F. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program services. Journal of Child and Family Studies. doi: 10.1007/s10826-017-1004-1
Palinkas, L. A., Um, M. Y., Jeong, C. H., Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S., Horwitz, S. M., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2017). Adoption of innovative and evidence-based practices for children and adolescents in state-supported mental health clinics: A qualitative study. Health Research Policy and Systems, 15(27), 1–9. doi:10.1186/s12961-017-0190-z
Chor, K. H. B., McClelland, G., Weiner, D. A., Jordan, N., & Lyons, J. S. (2015). Out-of-home placement decision-making and outcomes in child welfare: A longitudinal study. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(1), 70–86. doi:10.1007/s10488-014-0545-5
Kerker, B. D., Chor, K. H. B., Hoagwood, K. E., Radigan, M., Perkins, M., Setias, J., Wang, R., Olin, S. S., & Horwitz, S. M. (2015). Detection and treatment of mental health issues by pediatric PCPs in New York State: An evaluation of Project TEACH. Psychiatric Services, 66(4), 430–433. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201400079
Olin, S. S., Chor, K. H. B., Weaver, J., Duan, N., Kerker, B. D., Clark, L., Cleek, A. F., McKay M. M., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2015). Multilevel predictors of clinic adoption of state-supported trainings. Psychiatric Services, 66(5), 484–490. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201400206
Palinkas, L. A., Olin, S. S., Chor, K. H. B., Um, M. Y., Jeong, C. H., O’Connor, B., Horwitz, S. M., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2015). Influence of organizational role, consensus and innovation status on perceived facilitators and barriers to adoption of innovative and evidence-based practices in state-supported mental health clinics. Implementation Science, 10(S1), A41. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-10-S1-A41
Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S. S., Weaver, J., Cleek, A. F., McKay, M. M., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2014). Adoption of clinical and business trainings by child mental health clinics in New York State. Psychiatric Services, 65(12), 1439–1444. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201300535
Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S. S., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2014). Training and education in clinical psychology in the context of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 21(2), 91–105. doi:10.1111/cpsp.12068
Chor, K. H. B., Wisdom, J. P., Olin, S. S., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2014). Measures for predictors of innovation adoption. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 545–573. doi:10.1007/s10488-014-0551-7
Wisdom, J. P., Chor, K. H. B., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2014). Innovation adoption: A review of theories and constructs. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 41(4), 480–502. doi:10.1007/s10488-013-0486-4
Hoagwood, K. E., Olin, S. S., Horwitz, S. M., McKay, M. M., Cleek, A. F., Gleacher, A., Lewandowski, R. E., Nadeem, E., Acri, M. C., Chor, K. H. B., . . . Hogan, M. (2014). Scaling up evidence-based practices for children and families in New York State: Towards evidence-based policies on implementation for state mental health systems. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 43(2), 145–157. doi:10.1080/15374416.2013.869749
Stein, B. D., Okeke, E., Leckman-Westin, E., Sorbero, M., Chan, Q., Chor, K. H. B.,. . . Wisdom, J. P. (2014). The effects of prior authorization policies on Medicaid-enrolled children’s use of antipsychotic medications: Evidence from two mid-Atlantic states. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 24(7), 374–381. doi:10.1089/cap.2014.0008
Chor, K. H. B. (2013). Overview of out-of-home placements and placement decision-making in child welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 7(3), 298–328. doi:10.1080/15548732.2013.779357
Chor, K. H. B., McClelland, G., Weiner, D. A., Jordan, N., & Lyons, J. S. (2013). Patterns of out-of-home placement decision-making in child welfare. Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal, 37(10), 871–882. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.04.016
Chor, K. H. B., McClelland, G., Weiner, D. A., Jordan, N., & Lyons, J. S. (2012). Predicting outcomes of children in residential treatment: A comparison of a decision support algorithm and a multidisciplinary team decision model. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(12), 2345–2352. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.08.016
Book Chapters
Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S. S., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2017). An update on evidence-based practices for children and adolescents in the context of policy, research, and practice: A systems perspective. In D. L. Evans, E. B. Foa, R. E. Gur, H. Hendin, C. P. O’Brien, M. E. P. Seligman & T. Walsh (Eds.), Treating and preventing adolescent mental health disorders: What we know and what we don’t know: A research agenda for improving the mental health of our youth (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Nadeem, E., Olin, S. S., Gleacher, A., Chor, K. H. B., Weiss, D. C., Cleek, A. F., McKay, M. M., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2014). From experience to experiment: Using state systems as laboratories for implementation of evidence-based practices for children. In R. S. Beidas & P. C. Kendall (Eds.), Dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices in child and adolescent mental health (pp. 143–157). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.