Welcome to the Institute for Behavioral Health
The Heller School has a long-standing focus on behavioral health. Since the beginning, both faculty and students have been engaged in the study of mental health issues. Over the years, behavioral health has expanded to include alcohol and drug problems as well as other issues that are affected by behavior, such as obesity and exercise. Recognizing the strong portfolio of research in these areas, in 2003 the Schneider Institutes for Health Policy created the Institute for Behavioral Health. The Institute focuses on the intersection of health, behavior, and systems of care, with an emphasis on the linkages among these areas. Its underlying premise is that these systems can be better used to promote healthier lifestyles and to assist individuals to engage in behaviors which lead to better health. Training and education remain a core part of our mission, as does the dissemination of results of research and policy studies.
While the structure of the Institute is new, it draws heavily from a strong portfolio of research in these areas that SIHP researchers are already conducting. Over 80 current and recently completed studies conducted by over 20 researchers within SIHP fall under the mission of the Institute for Behavioral Health. The Institute is home to the NIDA-funded Brandeis/Harvard Center on Managed Care and Drug Abuse Treatment and the NIAAA doctoral training program in substance abuse services research. We are proud of the contributions of our researchers to further understanding the implications of behavioral health for the service delivery system and to the training of a new cadre of behavioral health services researchers.
We hope that you find this site useful as you learn more about our research staff and our activities in behavioral health.
Constance Horgan
Professor and Director
he Heller School's strength and reputation as a center for health policy and health services research stems in large part from its long-standing focus on behavioral health. Since the beginning, both faculty and students have been engaged in the study of alcohol-related problems. Over the years, behavioral health has expanded to include drug and mental health problems as well as other issues that are affected by behavior, such as obesity and exercise.
Recognizing the strong portfolio of research in these areas, in 2003, the Schneider Institutes for Health Policy created the Institute for Behavioral Health. Under the direction of Professor Constance Horgan, the Institute focuses on the intersection of health, behavior and systems of care, believing that these systems can be better used to promote healthier lifestyles and to assist individuals to engage in behaviors that lead to better health. Systems of care include primary and specialty health care, as well as other systems such as criminal justice, education and social services. Training and education remain a core part of our mission, as does the dissemination of results of research and policy studies.
