Researchers from the Department of Health Policy and Management at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health recently opened the Center for Behavioral Health Policy Studies on October 24th. The mission of the center is to improve the lives of people with mental and substance use disorders through research, education and service.

The Center for Behavioral Health Policy Studies, led by center director, Benjamin Druss, MD, MPH, of the Rollins School of Public Health, is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of faculty, staff, and students from Emory, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of South Carolina, and the Carter Center Mental Health Program.  Examples of ongoing projects include:

• Intervention studies to develop and test new models integrating mental health and primary care for people with serious mental disorders
• Studies examining access and quality of care for disadvantaged children with mental health and substance abuse disorders
• Evaluations of state and federally-funded mental health policies and programs

"This center is the result of over 10 years of a growing portfolio of research and collaborations both within and outside of Emory," explains Druss.  "The establishment of this center will help Emory be recognized as a national leader in mental health and substance use services research, teaching, and evaluation."