Vision
The UNC School of Social Work Behavioral Health Springboard is a trusted bridge connecting research, policy, and practice that engages human services organizations and behavioral health providers in innovative and accessible programs in support of high-quality behavioral health services for North Carolina families and individuals.
Mission
The mission of UNC School of Social Work Behavioral Health Springboard is to provide inclusive and accessible high quality workforce development and technical assistance grounded in evidence-based education, research and programming designed to improve behavioral health outcomes for all North Carolina families and individuals.
Values
- Innovation
- Collaboration
- Stewardship
- Evidence-base Decision
- Accessibility
History
Behavioral Health Springboard (BHS) was established over 30 years ago in 1991 through a contract with NC Department of Health and Human Services that provided grant funds from SAMSHA. The funds’ purpose was to support training needs of professionals outside of a clinical setting for individuals with lived experience around mental health and/or substance use.
Kathleen Rounds was the first Principal Investigator (PI) of BHS, originally named Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program, commonly known as BHRP. Dr. Julian Keith was the Chief of the Substance Use Section at NC DHHS who orchestrated the formalized partnership with BHS and NC DHHS. In 1998, Flo Stein became the liaison as the Deputy Director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services. The name changed from Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program to Behavioral Health Springboard under the leadership of Principal Investigator Kim Strom-Gottfried and Director Tara Bohley in 2016.
In 1994, Worth Bolton started working at Behavioral Health Springboard. He established the Substance Use Addition Specialist Criteria C program (SUAS) in 1997. Following enabling legislation, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Social Work was one of the first schools to provide approved training for students pursuing licensure.
Behavioral Health Springboard has continued to expand its reach in the Adult and Children’s Behavioral Healthcare space under the direction of the Principal Investigator and Director, Dr. Sarah Reives-Huston. Currently, BHS partners with the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services and the NC Division of Child and Family Well-being to provide workforce development services to providers serving Adults and Children within North Carolina. The Duke Endowment grant was awarded in 2022 to implement initiatives of NC DCFW to further develop Children’s Behavioral Health in North Carolina. In 2023, the Govern’s office provided GEER funds to implement YMHFA across North Carolina in the school system (public, private, charter) and youth serving organizations.
Partners
Behavioral Health Springboard is in part a project of the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services
