The Division of Public Behavioral Health and Justice Policy (PBHJP) will direct the care coordination, workforce development, and clinical best practice hub of a new National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health funded by SAMHSA.

The new Center will be operated by the National Technical Assistance Network for Children’s Behavioral Health (TA Network), a partnership of 14 universities and organizations across the country that is coordinated by the Institute for Innovation & Implementation at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. The TA Network includes the foremost leaders and designers of children’s systems with years of experience developing, guiding and implementing reform.

The $33 million contract represents the largest federal investment in training and technical assistance for children and youth with behavioral health needs in our nation’s history. PBHJP will receive approximately $350,000 annually for the duration of the five-year contract. Eric Bruns, PhD, who has been part of the TA Network since its founding, will serve as the UW principal investigator.