Welcome to UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences.
At UTHealth Houston’s newest school, we are embarking on a transformative journey that will enhance mental health care and lead behavioral health innovation in Texas.
We recognize the critical need for behavioral health care professionals. With an estimated 1 in 5 people — including children — living with a mental illness, our mission is clear. We must bridge the gap between Texas’ needs and staffing shortages by creating a robust pipeline of diverse behavioral health care providers.
We are building on UTHealth Houston’s long history of innovation, collaboration, commitment to community, and excellence in education, research, and clinical care.
In the coming months, we expect to begin enrolling students in the first of more than 35 degree and certificate programs that are planned for UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences over the next decade.
Our commitment will extend beyond the classroom. With a third of all state behavioral health hospital beds closed due to staffing shortages, we are determined to produce the workforce Texas urgently needs. Together, we will address this challenge head-on.
Whether you are a prospective student, faculty member, or community partner, we invite you to be part of our mission. Together, we will transform behavioral health services in Texas, one compassionate provider at a time.
Sincerely,
Jair C. Soares, MD, PhD
Dean, UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences
Vice President of Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth Houston
Professor, Chair, and Pat R. Rutherford, Jr. Chair in Psychiatry, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
