The Child Behavioral Health Building
Expanding the workforce. Advancing solutions. Increasing access to care.
The Child Behavioral Health Building will help expand the state’s capacity to deliver innovative, evidence-based care while preparing a new generation of highly skilled behavioral health professionals.
This facility will serve as an innovation hub, advancing research that leads to practical solutions and training professionals who can deliver care to Oregon’s children and families where it is needed most. By combining education, service, and discovery under one roof, this project ensures that Oregon is investing in long-term strategies to support youth behavioral health.
As the future home of the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health and the Prevention Science Institute, the Child Behavioral Health Building will expand training opportunities for students, accelerate research that improves outcomes, and provide behavioral health services to children and families in Portland and across Oregon. By leveraging the strengths of these two institutes, the building will amplify Oregon’s ability to meet the urgent mental health needs of its youngest residents.
Innovative Classrooms Driving Workforce Expansion
Two state-of-the-art classrooms are equipped to support both in-person and remote instruction. In addition to serving students in Portland, this technology-enabled classroom will allow instruction and training to extend far beyond the metro area—reaching rural and underserved communities across Oregon where behavioral health services are needed most. Together, the spaces form a modern, practice‑driven training hub that prepares graduates to step directly into roles supporting children and families statewide.
In this setting, students will begin the specialized child behavioral health program, building foundational skills, learning evidence-based strategies, practicing team-based behavioral health approaches, and applying their training through real‑world scenarios.
Dedicated Spaces to Advance Research and Expand Access to Care
This facility positions the university to advance Oregon Rising Goal 4: Accelerate the University of Oregon’s impact on the world. With dedicated space for both the Ballmer Institute and the Prevention Science Institute, researchers can pursue grant‑funded projects that drive innovative solutions and improve outcomes for children and families nationwide, establishing Oregon as a national leader in children’s behavioral health.
The building will include welcoming spaces where children and families can receive behavioral health support, both in Portland and across Oregon.
A dedicated behavioral health clinic—with family and individual intervention rooms—will offer supervised training for students and create opportunities for grant‑funded research.
A new telehealth center will further expand access, supporting high-quality student training and enabling virtual behavioral health services to youth across the state.
Community Spaces to Support a Growing Campus
As the first new build on the University of Oregon Portland campus, the Child Behavioral Health Building represents a major step in expanding the university’s presence in the city. The project strengthens UO’s long-term investment in Portland and enhances the campus with modern, purpose‑built spaces designed for collaboration, training, and high‑impact research.
At the center of the building is The Hub, a two‑story space that seamlessly shifts from daily use to hosting lectures and community events.
The surrounding classrooms are equally adaptable, transforming into additional event venues for workshops, trainings, and student or community programming.
“The Child Behavioral Health Building is significant in both addressing a critical need in child behavioral health and in reshaping the physical campus. The building represents a bold investment in Portland. It will transform the campus by anchoring a reimagined northeast quad, surrounding the campus’s largest green space and creating a vibrant hub for learning.”
Jane Gordon
Vice President for Portland
Building Timeline
2022
A Transformational Lead Gift
Ballmer Institute made possible by $425 million groundbreaking gift
The Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health is launched in March 2022, after a transformational lead gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer, co-founders of Ballmer Group Philanthropy. As part of the gift, the University of Oregon purchases campus in Northeast Portland, with plans to relocate its UO Portland campus and establish the Ballmer Institute.
2024
A New Generation of Workers
Ballmer Institute begins training behavioral health workers
The Ballmer Institute begins training a new generation of behavioral health workers on the UO Portland campus, as part of the new four-year child behavioral health undergraduate program.
2026
Groundbreaking
Ballmer Institute breaks ground on its new Child Behavioral Health Building
The institute breaks ground on the new Child Behavioral Health Building on the UO Portland campus in June 2026.
2029
A New Home on Campus
The new Child Behavioral Health Building opens at UO Portland
The new Child Behavioral Health Building on campus, home to the Ballmer Institute and the Prevention Science Institute, opens on the UO Portland campus.
New Child Behavioral Health Building coming 2029.
Support the Child Behavioral Health Building
With $53 million in state funding already secured, we are raising the remaining $30 million through philanthropy to bring this $83 million project to life. Your gift to the Child Behavioral Health Building creates a lasting legacy—shaping a future where children and families have access to the care they need to thrive.
Anna Mulcahy
Senior Director of Development
amulcahy@uoregon.edu
P: 541-735-1736
childrensbehavioralhealth.uoregon.edu