Dr. Shykina Brown

Biography

Shykina Brown, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Program Director at the Yale Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Mental Health Program. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. In her current role, Dr. Brown oversees mental health services staff at multiple juvenile justice sites in Connecticut, including residential centers and community-based programs. Dr. Brown has extensive experience working with justice-involved youth, having trained at the Yale Department of Psychiatry with a specialization in the Law and Psychiatry Division. Her clinical expertise encompasses trauma-informed care, collaborative discharge planning, and treatment for individuals with serious mental illness and complex needs. She is experienced in forensic psychological assessment and evaluations, particularly with Spanish-speaking clients. As a first-generation Hispanic American, Dr. Brown is dedicated to culturally responsive care and has served bilingual communities as a clinician, continuing to advocate for linguistically and culturally meaningful services. Her research and training efforts focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), with particular attention to the mental health needs of youth of color and building a diverse workforce in correctional mental health.

Research Interests