Inside Mount Sinai’s CARES Program, with Shilpa R. Taufique, Ph.D.

At Mount Sinai, Shilpa R. Taufique, Ph.D., and her team are redefining how to support teens facing serious mental health or substance use challenges through a unique program called CARES. The program — short for Comprehensive Adolescent Rehabilitation and Education Service — brings together education, therapy and family support under one roof to help teens who’ve struggled to thrive in traditional schools or standard outpatient care.

CARES integrates a full New York City Department of Education curriculum, led by teachers and counselors from District 79’s ReStart Academy, directly into a therapeutic setting. What makes it stand out, Taufique explains, is that the educators and clinicians work hand-in-hand, meeting each student exactly where they are — emotionally and academically — on any given day. Daily team check-ins allow staff to adapt lesson plans or therapy sessions based on what’s happening in each teen’s life. For instance, if a student has gone through a difficult weekend, teachers can pivot to make the day more manageable, while clinical staff provide extra support.

This flexible, whole-person approach has led to remarkable outcomes: students recover lost school credits, show improved grades and emotional stability, and — most importantly — experience sharp reductions in suicidality, hospitalizations and family strain. Many of these teens arrive at CARES as a last resort, but leave with renewed confidence, better coping skills and clearer goals for their future.

Building on CARES’ success, Taufique and her team launched UPRISE, a school-based version of the program designed to reach students directly where they are. Developed in response to schools asking for mental health support, UPRISE embeds Mount Sinai clinicians within school communities to help students who may not trust traditional healthcare settings. The program offers everything from basic education about mental health to therapy, family support and medication management — customized to each school’s culture and needs.

Whether through CARES or UPRISE, Taufique emphasizes one core principle: curiosity and compassion. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s this deep respect for individuality that allows the CARES model to help teens not just survive — but truly heal, learn and thrive.