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Sarah

Sarah

Director of Psychology, Robert's Program on Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics · PhD

Boston Children's Hospital · Harvard Medical School · United States

Sarah Brand McCarthy, PhD, MPH is a pediatric psychologist and health services researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she serves as Director of Psychology for the Robert’s Program on Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics. Her clinical and research work focuses on improving psychosocial care for children with serious medical illnesses and their families, with a particular emphasis on grief and bereavement. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience as a bereaved parent, Dr. Brand McCarthy leads efforts to develop and evaluate grief-informed, family-centered interventions. She is committed to advancing evidence-based practices through meaningful partnerships with families and communities.

  • Willing to mentor
  • Open to collaboration

Publications

Parent–Clinician Communication and End-of-Life Preparation in Pediatric Oncology: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study
Ouyang N, Knobf M, Ananth P, Baker J, Hieftje K, McCarthy S, Backman M, Feder S, Snaman J · Pediatric Blood & Cancer · 2026
Family characteristics and childcare patterns associated with early social functioning in cancer-bereaved parents
Snaman J, Chen L, Mazzola E, Helton G, Feifer D, Broden E, McCarthy S, Rosenberg A, Baker J, Wolfe J · Cancer · 2024
Precision in Pediatric Palliative Care: Looking Ahead to the Next Twenty-Five Years
Porter A, McCarthy S, Heneghan C, Dussel V, Snaman J, Wolfe J · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · 2026
Partnering with caregivers in bereavement research: Why it matters and best practices
McCarthy S, Snaman J, Umaretiya P, Johnston E · Pediatrics · 2025
Competencies for Psychology Practice in Pediatric Palliative Care
Thompson A, Schaefer M, McCarthy S, Hildenbrand A, Cousino M, Marsac M, Majeski J, Wohlheiter K, Kentor R · J Pediatr Psychol · 2023
Consultation patterns before and after embedding pediatric palliative care into a pediatric hematology/oncology clinic
Greenmyer J, Ngo T, Smith M, Collura C, Schiltz B, McCarthy S · Pediatric Blood and Cancer · 2023
Noticing and responding to end-of-life suffering in the PICU: A co-designed conceptual framework for nursing practice
Broden Arciprete E, Michelson K, Feder S, Marr J, Al-Roub N, Gouda S, Jones A, Schopen A, Tapper A, Pasek T, Kelly R, Morris L, Olszewski A, Gallagher C, Taylor J, McCarthy S, Snaman J, Ananth P · Intensive & critical care nursing · 2026
Deepening Clinician Understanding of Family Caregivers' Lived Experiences Caring for Medically Complex Children
Porter A, McCarthy S, Bogetz J, Snaman J · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · 2024
The Alluring, Enduring, and Troubling Concept of a "Good Death" in Pediatric Palliative Care
Broden E, McCarthy S, Snaman J · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · 2024
Documentation of Psychosocial Distress and Its Antecedents in Children with Rare or Life-Limiting Chronic Conditions
McCarthy S, Golembiewski E, Gravholt D, Clark J, Clark J, Fischer C, Mulholland H, Babcock K, Montori V, Jones A · Children (Basel) · 2022
Executive Summary of Society of Critical Care Medicine 2026 Guidelines on the Care and Management of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Patients at the End of Life
Derrington S, Broden Arciprete E, Lin M, Oczkowski S, Alladin A, Anani U, Borchik A, Collins C, Delgado-Corcoran C, Dickerman M, Harrod C, Henner N, Kon A, Lewis-Newby M, Lord B, Masters A, McCarthy S, Moynihan K, Munoz-Blanco S, Rissman L, Roberts K, Schlegel A, Schopen A, Siegel L, Swasey H, Wawrzynski S, Zorko D, DeCourcey D · Pediatric Critical Care Medicine · 2026
Partnering With Parents to Dismantle "Good-Death" Narratives
Broden E, McCarthy S, Snaman J · JAMA Pediatr · 2024
Pediatric Palliative Care in Oncology
Snaman J, McCarthy S, Wiener L, Wolfe J · Journal of Clinical Oncology · 2020
Psychologists as Pivotal Members of the Pediatric Palliative Care Team
Thompson A, Kentor R, Schaefer M, McCarthy S · Journal of pain and symptom management · 2024
Society of Critical Care Medicine 2026 Guidelines on the Care and Management of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Patients at the End of Life
Derrington S, Broden Arciprete E, Lin M, Oczkowski S, Alladin A, Anani U, Borchik A, Collins C, Delgado-Corcoran C, Dickerman M, Harrod C, Henner N, Kon A, Lewis-Newby M, Lord B, Masters A, McCarthy S, Moynihan K, Munoz-Blanco S, Rissman L, Roberts K, Schlegel A, Schopen A, Siegel L, Swasey H, Wawrzynski S, Zorko D, DeCourcey D · Pediatric Critical Care Medicine · 2026

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