The University of South Carolina is helping the state improve youth mental health through education, consulting and more. Now a new effort will help faculty conduct more research to enhance these efforts in South Carolina and beyond.
The USC Center for School Behavioral Health involves nearly two dozen faculty members who will collaborate to advance their research on school behavioral health, prepare staff in schools on promoting student mental health and grow the next generation of researchers. Collaborating faculty work in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Social Work, the College of Education and the Arnold School of Public Health.
“Through the center, nationally recognized faculty will work together to advance interdisciplinary research and scholarship on effective school behavioral health,” said Mark Weist, a psychology professor and one of the lead faculty in the center. “We are growing from an already strong platform of funded research that exceeds $40 million in funding over the past five years. The center has the potential to expand funded research and scholarship, which will in turn improve practice and policy, benefiting schools and students in South Carolina and beyond.”
Approved this summer by the Board of Trustees, the new center launched as South Carolina and the United States continue to grapple with a youth mental health crisis, which has been marked by an increase in young people experiencing depression, behavioral issues and self-harm. From 2022 to 2024, the state doubled the number of mental health counselors providing services in schools.
“Establishing the USC Center for School Behavioral Health amplifies the voices of K-12 students and families in need of mental health support across our state,” Courtnie Collins, a research faculty member. "The Center serves as a hub of expertise from across the university to drive research and innovations that expand access to quality mental health services for all students. We are uniquely positioned to tackle school behavioral health challenges with a comprehensive, collaborative, and student-centered approach.”
USC has a strong track record of partnering with the state and with school districts to help meet these needs. In 2022, Weist and psychology colleague Sam McQuillin launched the School Behavioral Health Academy to provide free, online professional development for school personnel. The program’s online courses cover topics such as creating a positive school environment, identifying mental health challenges and coordinating behavioral health services. Supported by the SC Department of Health and Human Services, the academy has served more than 4,000 teachers, principals, school counselors and other staff across South Carolina and in 22 other states and three other countries.
McQuillin said that the program’s success goes beyond the high enrollment.
“The School Behavioral Health Academy is showing strong evidence of impact through both participation and system-level improvement," he said. "In addition to reaching many people in our online platform, we have provided coaching in multiple regions, with district and school leaders noting that ‘coaches help move leaders from contemplation to action’ and that ‘research translates into real-world success.’ Data from the SBHA District and School Inventory show measurable improvements, documenting changes in school structures and teaming.”
The School Behavioral Health Academy is one of many ways USC is helping districts. For example, researchers in USC’s College of Education are working closely with high-needs schools in Aiken County to help mental health practitioners apply novel, effective approaches, seeking to improve outcomes for students and their families.
“We are aiming to foster stronger, more connected communities by enhancing training for school counselors in play therapy and family relationship skills,” says Jessie Guest, clinical assistant professor of counselor education. “We are excited to support the efforts of Aiken County middle and elementary school counselors in providing evidence-based services that benefit not only the child, but the entire family.”
The USC Center for School Behavioral Health will increase collaboration on projects such as these. The center also aims to support researchers in starting new tracks of research. The center will offer pilot grants of up to $10,000 annually to support innovative, interdisciplinary research that faculty can then leverage to seek external grants. Applications are open on the Center’s new website.
The faculty associated with the center meet regularly and have formed interdisciplinary research action groups. They will also participate in pre-conference sessions before the Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference in Greenville, SC, April 14-17, 2026.
Anna Francis contributed to this article.