Having access to mental health services on site for survivors of domestic violence has been nothing short of a “gamechanger.”
As a partner site in the ÐÔ°®ÎåÉ«Ìì, Reno’s Community Behavioral Health Collaborative, Kristen Kennedy, executive director for the (DVRC), describes access to counseling as a critical element to offering clients stability and resilience.
“In the past, we referred clients to counseling services, but it was difficult knowing if they followed through. Having the service on site is a gamechanger,” said Kennedy, noting clients will access additional services they need when they come in for counseling. “It’s a more holistic approach to service delivery. There are times now, when we can have the counselors and our advocates who do case management, come together to provide better service delivery. It really is about how can we best help this person.”
The Community Behavioral Health Collaborative (CBHC), a program under the School of Public Health operated by the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT), is expanding access to mental health care while preparing the next generation of professionals to meet Nevada’s needs. The CBHC places graduate students and interns pursuing careers in behavioral health directly into local nonprofits and human service agencies — like the DVRC — while providing students invaluable real-world experience.
The Community Foundation of Northern Nevada (CFNN) recently awarded $221,000 through its 2025 Northern Nevada Endowment Fund grant cycle to the School of Public Health for the CBHC.
“Our region is collaborating on exciting initiatives to address a mental healthcare crisis, from streamlining access to care for youth to creating a new Crisis Care Center for our region,” said Eaton Dunkelberger, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “We also know that the future success of increased access and services is contingent on the success of important programs like the University’s Community Behavioral Health Collaborative, which both increase access to services and increase the mental health workforce for our region.”
Philanthropy and partnership have been critical to program development.
“We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada for their continued support and partnership,” said Muge Akpinar-Elci, M.D., MPH, dean of the School of Public Health, noting community-based work gives students a unique perspective into the specific needs of local Nevada residents. “Being in the environment brings to life the case studies they may have only read about.”
Under the leadership of Jennifer Calloway Ross, Ph.D., director of the Community Behavioral Health Collaborative, the program has grown to include Megan Weller, Ph.D. as clinical supervision and site relations coordinator, and Lex Rodriguez, MSW as program coordinator.
“I’m very excited to support the Collaborative growth and impact in our community. With the generous support of CFNN, we are in a position to increase the number of sites we partner with, which exposes our students to more client populations and career opportunities and expands our reach in terms of Nevada residents receiving care,” said Calloway Ross.
Having seen the benefits to their clients, DVRC is one such CBHC site that is pursuing next steps and exploring innovative approaches to keep mental health service delivery available on-site. Leslie Delacruz is a local licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice who is a clinical supervisor with the CBHC, who has overseen practicum students with placements at DVRC.
“Doing the work is intimidating in the beginning, but in the work of therapy, you learn by doing therapy,” said Delacruz, adding that by being on-site, she’s able to provide immediate feedback to her students. “It’s a real benefit to the student to have someone who is seasoned and not affiliated with the agency. Our loyalty to is to the student and their learning and development.”
The placement of interns at local nonprofits brings the value of mental health services to populations that are often the most vulnerable and face additional barriers to accessing care.
“Agencies that would otherwise not be able to provide this valuable service, because it is very complex. And with the Collaborative, it’s already built for them. They don’t have to figure it all out. They have that support,” said Delacruz, adding the challenge without the proper support can be maintaining continuity of care. “I’m grateful someone came up with this wonderful idea. It fills so many gaps in the mental health community.”
The School of Public Health is committed to finding sustainable solutions and advancing mental health through research, education, and community partnerships, ensuring a healthier future for all. With the support of CASAT, the CBHC will be helping partner sites explore paths to sustain mental health services, including establishing infrastructure for insurance billing, which could allow them to hire full-time clinical teams and expand services.
“From here, my goal is all about sustainability of the program, and how we can continue to bring students and community together in meaningful ways,” said Calloway Ross. “The Collaborative is exploring some exciting opportunities in this arena."
For more information about the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada and its grant programs, please visit the .
To learn more about supporting the at the School of Public Health, contact Seema Donahoe, assistant dean, external relations and engagement at sdonahoe@unr.edu or 775-682-5728.
