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Melissa Zielinski

TitleAssociate Professor
InstitutionUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
DepartmentPSY Psychiatry, College of Medicine
DivisionPSY Psychologist
Address4224 Shuffield Dr.
Mail Slot # 654
Little Rock AR 72205
Phone501-526-8229
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0002-1125-110X Additional info
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    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse overview
    Dr. Zielinski’s research centers on the intersections between trauma, mental health, substance use, and involvement with the criminal legal system. She directs the Health and the Legal System Lab (HEALS Lab), a diverse group of scholars and clinical trainees that are dedicated to making trauma recovery services available in legal settings like prisons, jails, drug courts, and crime victim service settings. HEALS Lab’s cutting-edge science is helping to identify how to best intervene, how to get treatments that work in to these systems, and how to promote long-term recovery. This work has been supported by a variety of funders including the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Arnold Ventures, and the Department of Justice. Our clinical trainees and director also provide evidence-based therapy groups directly to maximize our immediate impact.


    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse education and training
    The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJB.A.05/2011Psychology; Health & Exercise Science
    University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, ARM.A.05/2013Clinical Psychology
    University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, ARPh.D.05/2016Clinical Psychology

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse research activities and funding
    R61DA059947     (ZIELINSKI, MELISSA JEAN)Sep 30, 2023 - Aug 31, 2025
    NIH
    Developing and Testing Innovative Care Pathways for Screening and Treatment of OUD/PTSD in Jails
    Role: Principal Investigator
    R61DA059947     (HAN, XIAOTONG)Sep 30, 2023 - Aug 31, 2025
    NIH/Nat. Inst. on Drug Abuse
    Developing and Testing Innovative Care Pathways for Screening and Treatment of OUD/PTSD in Jails
    Role: Principal Investigator
    EACB-26289     (ALLISON, MARY K)Apr 1, 2023 - Mar 31, 2025
    Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
    Arkansas Building Capacity for Women’s Justice-Health PCOR/CER
    Role: Principal Investigator
    EACB     (HAYNES, TIFFANY F)Jun 1, 2022 - May 31, 2024
    Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute - Pass Through: Northern Neck Health, Inc.
    Rural Stakeholders Building Competence and Capacity to Mitigate Pressing Mental Health Issues through CER
    Role: Principal Investigator
    H79SM084847     (EDGE, NICOLA A)Sep 30, 2021 - Sep 29, 2026
    Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
    Parents and Children Together (PACT)
    Role: Principal Investigator
    R01HD103634     (ZIELINSKI, MELISSA J)Apr 1, 2021 - Feb 28, 2026
    NIH/Nat. Inst. of Child Health & Human Development - Pass Through: University of Minnesota
    Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Programs for Women in Prison: Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes
    Role: Co-Investigator
    R25DA037190     (ZALLER, NICKOLAS D)Apr 1, 2021 - Dec 31, 2024
    NIH/Nat. Inst. on Drug Abuse - Pass Through: Miriam Hospital
    Lifespan/Brown Criminal Justice Research Training Program on Substance Use and HIV
    Role: Principal Investigator
    2019-V3-GX-K013     (SANFORD, JOSEPH A)Oct 1, 2019 - Sep 30, 2024
    US Dept of Justice - Office for Victims of Crime
    Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Network for Evidence-based Telemedicine (SAFE-NET)
    Role: Co-Investigator
    AWD53634     (ZIELINSKI, MELISSA)Aug 1, 2019 - Jul 31, 2022
    Arnold Ventures
    The Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Study
    Role: Principal Investigator
    T32DA022981     (ZIELINSKI, MELISSA J)Jul 1, 2019 - Jun 30, 2024
    NIH/Nat. Inst. on Drug Abuse
    Translational Training in Addiction - Continuation
    Role: Principal Investigator
    K23DA048162     (ZIELINSKI, MELISSA JEAN)Apr 1, 2019 - Mar 31, 2024
    NIH
    Leveraging Implementation Science to Increase Access to Trauma Treatment for Incarcerated Drug Users
    Role: Principal Investigator
    P30DA040500     (ZIELINSKI, MELISSA J)May 1, 2018 - Apr 30, 2021
    NIH/Nat. Inst. on Drug Abuse - Pass Through: Weill Medical College of Cornell University
    A Preliminary Economic Evaluation of the Pulaski County Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit (PCRCSU)
    Role: Principal Investigator
    PCS-1406-19295     (PYNE, JEFFREY M)Jan 1, 2016 - Dec 31, 2020
    Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute - Pass Through: University of Washington
    Integrated Versus Referral Care for Complex Psychiatric Disorders in Rural FQHCs - Continuation - Continuation - Continuation - Continuation
    Role: Principal Investigator
    U54MD002329     (CORNELL, CAROL ELLEN)Sep 30, 2007 - Apr 30, 2024
    NIH
    Arkansas Center for Health Disparities (ARCHD): An NIMHD COE
    Role: Co-Investigator

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions. Don't see publications published under other names? Login to add alternative names.
    List All   |   Timeline
    1. Steely Smith MK, Hinton-Froese KE, Scarbrough Kamath B, Virmani M, Walters A, Zielinski MJ. Characteristics and Outcomes of Women and Infants Who Received Prenatal Care While Incarcerated in Arkansas State Prison System, 2014-2019. Matern Child Health J. 2024 Jan 04. PMID: 38177975.
      View in: PubMed
    2. Van Deinse TB, Zielinski MJ, Holliday SB, Rudd BN, Crable EL. The application of implementation science methods in correctional health intervention research: a systematic review. Implement Sci Commun. 2023 Nov 24; 4(1):149. PMID: 38001546.
      View in: PubMed
    3. Steely Smith MK, Zielinski MJ, Sufrin C, Kramer CT, Benning SJ, Laine R, Shlafer RJ. State Laws on Substance Use Treatment for Incarcerated Pregnant and Postpartum People. Subst Abuse. 2023; 17:11782218231195556. PMID: 37746631.
      View in: PubMed
    4. Fradley MF, Kathryn Allison M, Steely Smith MK, Bossard M, Zielinski MJ. Justice-Involved, Sexually Victimized Women's Perspectives on the Acceptability of Receiving Trauma-Focused Therapy in Prison. Violence Against Women. 2023 Nov; 29(14):2964-2985. PMID: 37674415.
      View in: PubMed
    5. Swindle T, Baloh J, Landes SJ, Lovelady NN, Vincenzo JL, Hamilton AB, Zielinski MJ, Teeter BS, Gorvine MM, Curran GM. Evidence-Based Quality Improvement (EBQI) in the pre-implementation phase: key steps and activities. Front Health Serv. 2023; 3:1155693. PMID: 37292120.
      View in: PubMed
    6. Zielinski MJ, Alkov D, McCauley E, Aminawung JA, Shavit S, Wang EA. Characteristics of recently incarcerated primary care patients with and without a positive posttraumatic stress disorder screening upon clinic intake. Psychol Trauma. 2023 Feb 02. PMID: 36729519.
      View in: PubMed
    7. Zielinski MJ, Allison MK, Smith MKS, Curran G, Kaysen D, Kirchner JE. Implementation of group cognitive processing therapy in correction centers: Anticipated determinants from formative evaluation. J Trauma Stress. 2023 02; 36(1):193-204. PMID: 36468175.
      View in: PubMed
    8. Steely Smith MK, Wilson SH, Zielinski MJ. An integrative literature review of substance use treatment service need and provision to pregnant and postpartum populations in carceral settings. Womens Health (Lond). 2023 Jan-Dec; 19:17455057221147802. PMID: 36920150.
      View in: PubMed
    9. Zielinski MJ, Smith MKS, Kaysen D, Selig JP, Zaller ND, Curran G, Kirchner JE. A participant-randomized pilot hybrid II trial of group cognitive processing therapy for incarcerated persons with posttraumatic stress and substance use disorder symptoms: study protocol and rationale. Health Justice. 2022 Oct 01; 10(1):30. PMID: 36181587.
      View in: PubMed
    10. Allison MK, Henderson HM, Curran GM, Zielinski MJ. Emergency Department Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Substance Use, Impact on Sexual Assault Care, and Access to Follow-up Behavioral Health Resources. J Emerg Nurs. 2022 Nov; 48(6):698-708. PMID: 36075768.
      View in: PubMed
    11. Zielinski MJ, Cowell M, Bull CE, Veluvolu M, Behne MF, Nowotny K, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. Policy and public communication methods among U.S. state prisons during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Justice. 2022 Sep 01; 10(1):27. PMID: 36048251.
      View in: PubMed
    12. Wilson SH, Marsh LN, Zielinski M, Corbett A, Siegler A, Shlafer R. Enhanced Perinatal Programs for People in Prisons: A Summary of Six States' Programs. J Crim Justice. 2022 Nov-Dec; 83. PMID: 37441170.
      View in: PubMed
    13. Fradley MF, Praseuth A, Bearden RL, Smith MKS, Evans L, Zaller ND, Zielinski MJ. Recommendations for conducting longitudinal studies with people who are justice involved. J Clin Transl Sci. 2022; 6(1):e97. PMID: 36003206.
      View in: PubMed
    14. Allison MK, Curran GM, Walsh WA, Dworkin ER, Zielinski MJ. Factors Affecting Telemedicine Implementation in Emergency Departments and Nurses' Perceptions of Virtual Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Consultation for Sexual Assault Survivors. J Forensic Nurs. 2023 Jan-Mar 01; 19(1):41-49. PMID: 36812373.
      View in: PubMed
    15. Zielinski MJ, Veilleux JC, Fradley MF, Skinner KD. Perceived emotion invalidation predicts daily affect and stressors. Anxiety Stress Coping. 2023 03; 36(2):214-228. PMID: 35135399.
      View in: PubMed
    16. Norris WK, Allison MK, Fradley MF, Zielinski MJ. 'You're setting a lot of people up for failure': what formerly incarcerated women would tell healthcare decision makers. Health Justice. 2022 Feb 01; 10(1):4. PMID: 35103865.
      View in: PubMed
    17. Zielinski MJ, Praseuth A, Gai MJ, Evans LJ, Zaller ND, Umar I, Barocas JA. Crisis stabilization units for jail diversion: A preliminary assessment of patient characteristics and outcomes. Psychol Serv. 2022 Nov; 19(4):630-636. PMID: 35099227.
      View in: PubMed
    18. Dueweke AR, Higuera DE, Zielinski MJ, Karlsson ME, Bridges AJ. Does Group Size Matter? Group Size and Symptom Reduction Among Incarcerated Women Receiving Psychotherapy Following Sexual Violence Victimization. Int J Group Psychother. 2022; 72(1):1-33. PMID: 36249160.
      View in: PubMed
    19. Marshall SA, Barham C, Neher T, Zielinski MJ, Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Gorvine MM, Zaller N. Acceptability of a Community Health Worker Program to Link High-Risk People in Jail to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2022; 33(1):149-166. PMID: 35153211.
      View in: PubMed
    20. Barocas JA, Umar I, Praseuth A, Evans L, Zaller ND, Zielinski MJ. An Economic Analysis of the Cost of a Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit. J Correct Health Care. 2022 02; 28(1):54-58. PMID: 34788552.
      View in: PubMed
    21. Fortney JC, Bauer AM, Cerimele JM, Pyne JM, Pfeiffer P, Heagerty PJ, Hawrilenko M, Zielinski MJ, Kaysen D, Bowen DJ, Moore DL, Ferro L, Metzger K, Shushan S, Hafer E, Nolan JP, Dalack GW, Un?tzer J. Comparison of Teleintegrated Care and Telereferral Care for Treating Complex Psychiatric Disorders in Primary Care: A Pragmatic Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021 11 01; 78(11):1189-1199. PMID: 34431972.
      View in: PubMed
    22. Zielinski MJ, Karlsson ME, Bridges AJ. "I'm not alone, my story matters": Incarcerated women's perspectives on the impact and acceptability of group psychotherapy involving imaginal exposure to sexual assault memories. Health Justice. 2021 Sep 30; 9(1):25. PMID: 34591180.
      View in: PubMed
    23. Zielinski MJ, Roberts LT, Han X, Martel ID. A longitudinal analysis of PTSD and other mental health symptoms among people sentenced to drug treatment court. Psychol Trauma. 2023 Sep; 15(6):1022-1026. PMID: 34591533.
      View in: PubMed
    24. Karlsson ME, Zielinski MJ, Calvert M, Bridges AJ. Decreases in psychiatric symptoms persist following exposure-based group therapy for sexual violence victimization among incarcerated women. Psychol Serv. 2022 Aug; 19(3):534-540. PMID: 34292004.
      View in: PubMed
    25. Moore R, Zielinski MJ, Thompson RG, Willis DE, Purvis RS, McElfish PA. "This Pandemic Is Making Me More Anxious about My Welfare and the Welfare of Others:" COVID-19 Stressors and Mental Health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 05 26; 18(11). PMID: 34073187.
      View in: PubMed
    26. Zielinski MJ, Hinton KE, Bull CE. COVID-19 highlights the pitfalls of reliance on the carceral system as a response to addiction. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 03; 122:108190. PMID: 33221126.
      View in: PubMed
    27. Zielinski MJ, Allison MK, Roberts LT, Karlsson ME, Bridges AJ, Kirchner JE. Implementing and Sustaining SHARE: An Exposure-Based Psychotherapy Group for Incarcerated Women Survivors of Sexual Violence. Am J Community Psychol. 2021 03; 67(1-2):76-88. PMID: 32985702.
      View in: PubMed
    28. Zielinski MJ, Allison MK, Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Curran G, Zaller ND, Kirchner JAE. Making change happen in criminal justice settings: leveraging implementation science to improve mental health care. Health Justice. 2020 Sep 06; 8(1):21. PMID: 32892276.
      View in: PubMed
    29. Baker DE, Hill M, Chamberlain K, Hurd L, Karlsson M, Zielinski M, Calvert M, Bridges AJ. Interpersonal vs. Non-Interpersonal Cumulative Traumas and Psychiatric Symptoms in Treatment-Seeking Incarcerated Women. J Trauma Dissociation. 2021 May-Jun; 22(3):249-264. PMID: 32584656.
      View in: PubMed
    30. Zaller ND, Neher TL, Presley M, Horton H, Marshall SA, Zielinski MJ, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. Barriers to linking high-risk jail detainees to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. PLoS One. 2020; 15(4):e0231951. PMID: 32302371.
      View in: PubMed
    31. Nowotny KM, Zielinski MJ, Stringer KL, Pugh T, Wu E, Metsch LR, El-Bassel N, Nunn AS, Beckwith CG. Training the Next Generation of Researchers Dedicated to Improving Health Outcomes for Justice-Involved Populations. Am J Public Health. 2020 01; 110(S1):S18-S20. PMID: 31967875.
      View in: PubMed
    32. Neher TL, Udochi AL, Wilson KA, Guillory DM, Zaller ND, Zielinski MJ. Conducting Health Research in Carceral Systems: Considerations and Recommendations. Am J Public Health. 2020 01; 110(S1):S52-S55. PMID: 31967891.
      View in: PubMed
    33. Bridges, A. J., Baker, D. E., Hurd, L. E., Spero, K. D., Hill, M. A., Karlsson, M. E., Zielinski, M. J. . How does timing affect trauma treatment for women who are incarcerated? An empirical analysis. Criminal Justice and Behavior. 2020.
      View Publication
    34. Fortney JC, Heagerty PJ, Bauer AM, Cerimele JM, Kaysen D, Pfeiffer PN, Zielinski MJ, Pyne JM, Bowen D, Russo J, Ferro L, Moore D, Nolan JP, Fee FC, Heral T, Freyholtz-London J, McDonald B, Mullins J, Hafer E, Solberg L, Un?tzer J. Study to promote innovation in rural integrated telepsychiatry (SPIRIT): Rationale and design of a randomized comparative effectiveness trial of managing complex psychiatric disorders in rural primary care clinics. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 03; 90:105873. PMID: 31678410.
      View in: PubMed
    35. Karlsson ME, Zielinski MJ, Bridges AJ. Replicating outcomes of Survivors Healing from Abuse: Recovery through Exposure (SHARE): A brief exposure-based group treatment for incarcerated survivors of sexual violence. Psychol Trauma. 2020 Mar; 12(3):300-305. PMID: 31393152.
      View in: PubMed
    36. Zaller N, Donadeo K, Coffey J, Zielinski M, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. Screening for Opioid Use Disorder in the Largest Jail in Arkansas: A Brief Report. J Correct Health Care. 2019 07; 25(3):214-218. PMID: 31195879.
      View in: PubMed
    37. Veilleux JC, Zielinski MJ, Moyen NE, Tucker MA, Dougherty EK, Ganio MS. The effect of passive heat stress on distress andself-control in male smokers and non-smokers. J Gen Psychol. 2018 Oct-Dec; 145(4):342-361. PMID: 30358519.
      View in: PubMed
    38. Bush KA, Privratsky A, Gardner J, Zielinski MJ, Kilts CD. Common Functional Brain States Encode both Perceived Emotion and the Psychophysiological Response to Affective Stimuli. Sci Rep. 2018 10 18; 8(1):15444. PMID: 30337576.
      View in: PubMed
    39. Zielinski MJ, Privratsky AA, Smitherman S, Kilts CD, Herringa RJ, Cisler JM. Does development moderate the effect of early life assaultive violence on resting-state networks? An exploratory study. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2018 11 30; 281:69-77. PMID: 30266022.
      View in: PubMed
    40. Zielinski MJ, Veilleux JC. The Perceived Invalidation of Emotion Scale (PIES): Development and psychometric properties of a novel measure of current emotion invalidation. Psychol Assess. 2018 Nov; 30(11):1454-1467. PMID: 29792500.
      View in: PubMed
    41. Karlsson ME, Zielinski MJ. Sexual Victimization and Mental Illness Prevalence Rates Among Incarcerated Women: A Literature Review. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2020 04; 21(2):326-349. PMID: 29661117.
      View in: PubMed
    42. Zielinski MJ, Hill MA, Veilleux JC. Is the first cut really the deepest? Frequency and recency of nonsuicidal self-injury in relation to psychopathology and dysregulation. Psychiatry Res. 2018 01; 259:392-397. PMID: 29120848.
      View in: PubMed
    43. Veilleux JC, Pollert GA, Zielinski MJ, Shaver JA, Hill MA. Behavioral Assessment of the Negative Emotion Aspect of Distress Tolerance: Tolerance to Emotional Images. Assessment. 2019 04; 26(3):386-403. PMID: 28135808.
      View in: PubMed
    44. Zielinski MJ, Veilleux JC, Winer ES, Nadorff MR. A short-term longitudinal examination of the relations between depression, anhedonia, and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in adults with a history of self-injury. Compr Psychiatry. 2017 02; 73:187-195. PMID: 28040576.
      View in: PubMed
    45. Roley-Roberts ME, Zielinski MJ, Hurtado G, Hovey JD, Elhai JD. Functions of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Are Differentially Associated with Suicide Ideation and Past Attempts among Childhood Trauma Survivors. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2017 08; 47(4):450-460. PMID: 27767234.
      View in: PubMed
    46. Zielinski, M. J., Karlsson, M. E., & Bridges, A. J. Adapting evidence-based trauma treatment for incarcerated women: A model for implementing exposure-based group therapy and considerations for practitioners. the Behavior Therapist. 2016; 6(39):205-210.
      View Publication
    47. Zielinski MJ, Borders A, Giancola PR. Does hostile rumination mediate the associations between reported child abuse, parenting characteristics and borderline features in adulthood? Personal Ment Health. 2015 Nov; 9(4):288-97. PMID: 26314272.
      View in: PubMed
    48. Karlsson, M. E., Zielinski, M. J., & Bridges, A. J. Expanding research on a brief exposure-based group treatment with incarcerated women. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation. 2015; (54):599-617.
      View Publication
    49. Bujarski SJ, Craig JT, Zielinski MJ, Badour CL, Feldner MT. A multimodal examination of emotional responding to a trauma-relevant film among traumatic motor vehicle accident survivors. Assessment. 2015 Apr; 22(2):216-23. PMID: 25139384.
      View in: PubMed
    50. Veilleux JC, Salomaa AC, Shaver JA, Zielinski MJ, Pollert GA. Multidimensional assessment of beliefs about emotion: development and validation of the emotion and regulation beliefs scale. Assessment. 2015 Feb; 22(1):86-100. PMID: 24835246.
      View in: PubMed
    51. Zielinski, M. J., & Veilleux, J. C. Examining the relation between borderline personality features and social support: The mediating role of rejection sensitivity. Personality and Individual Differences. 2014; (70):235-238.
      View Publication
    52. Reese, E. D., Zielinski, M. J., & Veilleux, J. C. Personality and Individual Differences. Facets of mindfulness mediate behavioral inhibition systems and emotion dysregulation. 2014; (72):41-46.
      View Publication
    53. Scisco JL, Blades C, Zielinski MJ, Muth ER. Dividing a fixed portion into more pieces leads to larger portion size estimates of JELL-O squares. Perception. 2012; 41(8):988-90. PMID: 23362675.
      View in: PubMed
    54. Feiring C, Zielinski M. Looking back and looking forward: a review and reflection on research articles published in child maltreatment from 1996 through 2010. Child Maltreat. 2011 Feb; 16(1):3-8. PMID: 21212074.
      View in: PubMed
    55. Feiring, C., & Zielinski, M. Looking back and looking forward: A review and reflection on research articles published in Child Maltreatment from 1996 through 2010. Child Maltreatment. 2011; (16):3-8.
      View Publication
    56. Allison, M.K., Curran, G., Walsh, W.A., Dworkin, E.R., & Zielinski, M. J. Factors affecting telemedicine implementation in emergency departments and nurses’ perceptions of virtual SANE consultation for sexual assault survivors. Journal of Forensic Nursing.
      View Publication
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