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15 Years of CEDAR

For 15 transformative years, CEDAR has been changing the trajectory of young lives affected by early psychosis. What began in 2009 as a pioneering early intervention program has grown into a beacon of hope, providing specialized care and support for youth and young adults experiencing or at risk of psychosis. As we mark this milestone anniversary, CEDAR’s impact continues to demonstrate how early, targeted intervention can reshape mental health outcomes. 

CEDAR is one of just a few programs in Massachusetts offering specialized early psychosis intervention. Our multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive support for young people ages 12-30 and their families, weaving together coordinated specialty care that spans individual and family therapy, educational and vocational coaching, and psychiatric services. This holistic approach ensures that each young person receives personalized, evidence-based care that addresses their full range of needs. 

“When CEDAR was established, it was one of the first programs in the country focused on early intervention for patients showing signs of psychosis,” said Dr. Henry White, Senior Innovation Advisor. “The Brookline Center’s integration of CEDAR into its programs in 2018 has enabled us to draw on our deep culture of meaningful innovation to transform and scale the program, expanding its reach and making it more accessible, equitable, and impactful.” 

“CEDAR shows what’s possible when you prioritize access and provide coordinated, specialized care tailored to each patient’s needs,” added Dr. Amanda Weber, PhD, CEDAR’s Clinical Director. “Each success story reinforces the vital importance of making this early care available to all who need it.” 

CEDAR’s History 

• 2009: The CEDAR Clinic opens at 76 Amory Street in Roxbury as a collaboration of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, funded by a grant from the Sidney R. Baer Jr. Foundation.  
• 2012: CEDAR moves to the Massachusetts Mental Health Center’s location in the Longwood Medical Area. 
• 2015: CEDAR forms a “Prevention Collaborative” comprised of representatives from Boston Public Schools, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), DMH, Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Children’s Hospital, and others to spread awareness of early psychosis. 
• 2018: CEDAR becomes a program of The Brookline Center, and its mission recenters around equitable and accessible early psychosis care.  
• 2020: CEDAR formally moves to the Center’s offices at 41 Garrison Road in Brookline.  
• 2021: CEDAR is awarded a SAMSHA grant to collaborate with other programs to expand Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis services in Massachusetts.  
• 2022: The Brookline Center restarts the Massachusetts Psychosis Access and Triage Hub (M-PATH) to quickly connect young people experiencing early psychosis symptoms to services statewide.  
• 2022: CEDAR reboots group programming to address service gaps for families and clients who need assistance in transitioning to college. 
• 2023: The Center’s Kids Fund Gala spotlights CEDAR to bring attention to early psychosis and CEDAR’s transformative work. 
• 2024: CEDAR celebrates its 15th anniversary with a new website and logo that its commitment to wraparound, person-centered care.  
• Today: CEDAR has impacted the lives of hundreds of clients and trained more than 50 psychology graduate students, psychiatry residents, and undergraduate trainees.