An Update From The Ballmer Institute For Children’s Behavioral Health

This fall, the Ballmer Institute’s child behavioral health program officially opened with students enrolled in the pre-major on the Eugene campus, and a second cohort of educators enrolled in the graduate microcredential program. 

The Ballmer Institute also welcomed three tenure-related and four clinical faculty, who are already engaged in Portland area middle schools delivering services and preparing the schools for the arrival of undergraduate students next year.  

In addition to these exciting developments, the Ballmer Institute is already receiving recognition for its groundbreaking work. 

In November, the Ballmer Institute, along with Connie and Steve Ballmer, will be awarded the 2023 Distinguished Friend to Behavior Therapy Award. Given by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), the award recognizes individuals and organizations that provide awareness, advocacy, or evidence-based behavioral health services in the field of cognitive and behavioral therapies.  

The Ballmer Institute also recently received a $50,000 Health Care Workforce funding grant from the Cambia Health Foundation to support community engagement efforts. These funds will support the development of community advisory boards, promote recruitment and retention of stakeholders as board members, and mitigate barriers to participation for community members interested in serving in an advisory capacity. 

 

"We seek to make real system change by creating a new bachelor’s level mental health profession to support and grow the behavioral health field. Addressing the child mental health crisis requires nothing short of a transformation in our approach to training the mental health workforce, identifying children and families in need of support, and delivering services."

--Katie McLaughlin, Executive Director and Knight Chair and Professor of Psychology