Our Story

UNLV Partnership for Research, Assessment, Counseling, Therapy and Innovative Clinical Education (UNLV PRACTICE) was established in 2011 in the wake of an economic downturn as a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between the Colleges of Education and Liberal Arts. Its purpose was to pool resources and create a shared mental health training clinic for master’s- and doctoral-level students in clinical psychology, school psychology, and mental health counseling. The PRACTICE clinic opened its doors to the community in fall 2012, providing accessible, high-quality care while serving as a centralized training environment for future mental health professionals.

As UNLV PRACTICE expanded in scope and impact, university leadership recognized both its success and the broader context in which it operated. Nevada persistently ranks at or near the bottom nationally for access to mental health services despite high levels of need (Mental Health America, 2015–23), a disparity driven in large part by an underdeveloped and fragmented mental health infrastructure. At UNLV, strong mental and behavioral health training programs exist across multiple colleges, schools, and departments; however, these efforts have historically operated in silos, limiting their collective impact.

With the growth of UNLV’s Academic Health mission, the need for a formal structure to unify, coordinate, and represent the university’s mental and behavioral health training programs became increasingly clear. In 2025, the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education formally recognized the UNLV PRACTICE Institute of Mental and Behavioral Health. The Institute was chartered to strategically unite UNLV’s mental and behavioral health training programs and to advance interprofessional education, clinical service, research, workforce development, and policy efforts in support of solving Nevada’s mental health crisis and advancing a healthier Nevada.

Our Strategic Priorities

• Bringing Mental and Behavioral Health Together: UNLV PRACTICE brings together UNLV’s mental and behavioral health programs into one coordinated institute—strengthening collaboration, reducing duplication, and creating a shared home for innovation, training, and impact.
• Expanding Access to High-Quality Care: We provide accessible, evidence-based, and culturally responsive mental and behavioral health services, working closely with medical providers, schools, and community partners to support individuals and families where they live, learn, and receive care.
• Driving Innovation Through Research: UNLV PRACTICE advances research that improves how mental health care is delivered and how future professionals are trained—using data and community-engaged approaches to address Nevada’s most urgent mental health needs.
• Preparing the Next-Generation Workforce: We are growing and strengthening Nevada’s mental health workforce through interdisciplinary training, hands-on clinical experience, and post-degree pathways that encourage graduates to serve communities across the state.
• Shaping Policy and Systems Change: UNLV PRACTICE serves as a trusted resource for policymakers and community leaders, helping shape mental health policy, workforce development, and public health approaches that improve access and outcomes statewide.
• Building a Sustainable Future: Through philanthropy, grants, partnerships, and innovative funding models, we are creating a strong financial foundation to ensure long-term impact, growth, and service to the community.

Our Team and Collaborators

UNLV PRACTICE is not a single department or clinic—it is a collaborative institute made up of faculty, trainees, partners, and community leaders working together to advance mental and behavioral health in Nevada. Each group plays a distinct role in shaping the Institute’s direction, impact, and culture.