About Us
Our Story
ARISE, formerly known as "The Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Research Lab," started in 2015 and grew out of discussions with Judge Pratt. We sought to understand some of the needs for youth impacted by CSE and the lack of data infrastructure to track outcomes and track success. Since that time, the lab has grown in terms of funding received and projects that focus on the perspectives of youth, lived experience experts and providers in the field to increase engagement and participation in care and increase health equity. Our lab is founded on these principles:
Research Staff
Dr. Eraka Bath, MD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Bath is the Director of Child Forensic Services, Associate Professor in Department of Psychiatry, and an Associate Chair for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. She is board certified in child and adolescent, adult and forensic psychiatry. Dr. Bath has a long-standing interest in health care disparities, minority and community mental health, with particular interest in addiction and trauma within the special populations of juvenile justice and foster care youth. Dr. Bath has dedicated her time to working with vulnerable populations and their families and consults regularly with the court system. Her portfolio of research includes funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Drug Abuse, PCORI, and Los Angeles County Department of Probation, which includes researching the efficacy of short-term, family based interventions for youth involved in the delinquency system as well as the trajectories of commercially sexually exploited girls.
Dr. Bath obtained her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley, her medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine, and completed her child psychiatry and forensic training at NYU School of Medicine where she was on faculty prior to joining UCLA.
Carina F. Rodrigues
Program Manager
Carina F. Rodrigues is a Program Manager with ARISE and UCLA Psychiatry’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) department. She holds an M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from San Diego State University and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. While in graduate school, she examined parole and probation reform, as well as the impact of non-profit organizations on the reentry and reintegration of system-involved individuals. Inspired by her time as an intern with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) Jails and Police Practices Projects, Carina is committed to using her research and advocacy skills to promote social justice and improve the lives of vulnerable communities.
Selena X. Cuevas
Administrative Assistant
Selena Cuevas holds a B.A. in Psychology with a Minor in Education, which she earned from UC Berkeley. Currently, she dedicates her time as a Full-Time Research Assistant at WestCoast Children’s Clinic, a nonprofit organization that provides support to youth transitioning into the foster care system. Additionally, Selena serves as a Part-time Administrative Assistant at Dr. Eraka Bath’s lab at UCLA, where she is actively involved in projects related to JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion). With a strong passion for the field, Selena’s future aspirations include pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with the ultimate goal of becoming a professor. Outside of her professional pursuits, Selena enjoys staying active through activities such as playing tennis, strength training at the gym, and exploring the outdoors through hiking. Her roots trace back to the picturesque town of Spring Valley in San Diego.
Undergraduate Interns
Elena Bateman
Undergraduate Student Intern
Elena Bateman is a dedicated fourth-year student at UCLA, majoring in Public Affairs and Statistics & Data Science, and from Sacramento, California. With a strong foundation in research, Elena is deeply committed to addressing the issue of interpersonal violence within communities, and she believes that informed community outreach is a key step towards ending it. Her passion for this cause drives her to leverage her extensive research skills, both qualitative and quantitative, to make a tangible impact. In particular, Elena is on a mission to ensure that reproductive justice is upheld and protected for young women in the Los Angeles community. She envisions a future where data-driven insights contribute to more informed and effective strategies for promoting the well-being and safety of women, and she’s eager to play a pivotal role in making this vision a reality. Elena’s academic pursuits and her drive for social change exemplify her commitment to making a positive difference in the world.
Chloe Duffield
Undergraduate Student Intern