The Executive Council has approved a three-year, $4.3 million contract to enable the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (IOD) to develop a new Children’s Behavioral Health Resource Center (CBHRC). Working in collaboration with other institutions, family groups, providers, youth and families, the CB- HRC will strengthen the network of behavioral health supports for children across the state.

The center is designed to help address the current shortage of resources by improving the capacity of providers, educators and agencies to deliver high-quality, research-based practices across the state. The CB- HRC will focus on providing evidence-based training, technical assistance, easy-to-access information about strengths-based and youth-centered practices and approaches to best address the behavioral health needs of children up to the age of 21 years.

Many children and young adults in the state have significant mental health needs that are not sufficiently being met by the current system, said JoAnne Malloy, research associate professor and co-director of the CBHRC.

She said that, without proper support, many youth are ending up in more vulnerable circumstances, including emergency rooms and psychiatric care waiting lists. Prior to the pandemic, there was already a short age of providers, educators and direct support professionals to adequately support children’s growing and complex behavioral health needs. Over the last year and a half, the demand for these services has increased significantly, exacerbating an already-overstretched network.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to create a system of supports to respond to youth and families in crisis and to help them find hope, so they can move on and live their best lives,” said Malloy. “This can only happen, though, if we stand up and sustain research-based practices that are provided at the right time, matched to the youth’s and family’s need, and in the right amount.”