UO launches children’s mental health center with $11M in federal funding

Funded by an $11M federal grant, the UO center will support mental health in middle schoolers and their families.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The University of Oregon is launching a new center focused on improving children’s mental health.

The National Center for Children’s Mental Health will bring together schools, community partners, and dozens of faculty and students from the university’s Prevention Science Institute, College of Education and Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health. UO describes the Ballmer Institute as a one-of-a-kind-training program for the next generation of youth mental health professionals.

The center will focus on using evidence-based methods to prevent and improve mental health issues in middle school students.

An $11 million federal grant from the National Institute of Mental Health will fund the center over the next five years. The money will support a major project that combines “inclusive skill-building learning” to help teachers keep students engaged and a “Family Check-Up” program to help parents support their child’s mental health.

Researchers say the center comes at a critical time.

“We’re in a mental health crisis. For the past two decades, mental health issues have been escalating, particularly among youth,” said John Seeley, a professor and associate dean for research in the University of Oregon College of Education. “The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on students in need of additional supports, and that’s the aim of the center — to help provide those additional supports.”

“We’ll be starting right away with 10 schools in the fall of 2025, so we’re working with school partners right now to figure that out,” said Beth Stormshak, a professor and director of UO’s Prevention Science Institute.

KGW’s Stephanie Domurat will take a closer look at UO’s Children’s Mental Health Center in an upcoming episode of Straight Talk, airing later this month.