
Prominent Psychologist to Lead Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health
As a leading researcher, clinical psychologist Katie McLaughlin has dedicated her career to the prevention and treatment of mental health issues in youth.
Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health

You can enter into this new mental health profession with an undergraduate degree and deliver services in schools, health care systems, and the community. This first of its kind program in the U.S. will provide high-quality, equitable and accessible behavioral health care for children and adolescents and will increase access to prevention and care. We also offer a graduate coursework sequence for youth-serving professionals looking to expand their field of study.
Applications are Open!
Undergraduate students are now able to apply to the Child Behavioral Health Program at the Ballmer Institute. This major – the first undergraduate behavioral health degree program of its kind in the US – will expand the existing behavioral health workforce and increase access to mental health interventions for youth and families. Students will graduate with over 700 hours of supervised community-based practice in Portland area K12 schools, health care systems, and other community settings.
In 2022, the University of Oregon established the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health. This vision is made possible by a $425 Million transformational gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer, co-founders of Ballmer Group Philanthropy.
Latest news from the Ballmer Institute

The Ballmer Institute's Incoming Executive Director Katie McLaughlin, and her Harvard team's new study finds macrostructural characteristics, such as cost of living and state-level anti-poverty programs, relate to the magnitude of socioeconomic disparities in brain development and mental health.

UO's Ballmer Institute announces new executive director
Less than a year after announcing a $425 million donation from Steve and Connie Ballmer, The Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon has a permanent leader.

University of Oregon announces executive director for Ballmer Institute
An institute promising to transform higher education’s impact on a major challenge facing the state and the country has taken a key step toward that goal.