The Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health

The Ballmer Institute serves the University of Oregon’s mission of research, training, and public impact, and transforms the Pacific Northwest into a national model of thought and action to address challenges in children’s behavioral health. Beginning in fall 2023, the Ballmer Institute will anchor our new UO Portland campus. 
 
Representing a bold, original approach to improving the behavioral health and wellness of children and adolescents, the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health is built on the foundation of established prevention work and evidence-based interventions in the College of Education and the Department of Psychology. In the new Ballmer Institute, faculty are accelerating discovery and reaching across schools and communities to help address the national emergency in child and adolescent behavioral health. 
 
The Ballmer Institute is also creating a new profession - the child behavioral health specialist. With undergraduate degrees from the Ballmer Institute, child behavioral health specialists will enrich the behavioral health and wellness of children and adolescents across identities and abilities, from a variety of family structures and backgrounds, in schools, public health, and other healthcare settings.  This new role is intended to expand and complement the existing behavioral health workforce (e.g., psychologists, counselors, social workers, etc.) and provide greater access to behavioral health services for youth. Emphasizing early detection and prevention of behavioral health issues, this workforce will empower youth to identify and regulate emotions, set goals, solve problems, and build healthy habits, making a profound impact on our state and for generations to come.