HARTFORD, CT — July 3, 2026 — University of Connecticut School of Social Work’s Innovations Institute (Innovations), the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL), and Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) have formed a strategic collaboration that expands leadership development and continuing education for behavioral health professionals across the U.S.

CBHL anchors this collaborative framework as a domestic partner of GLE’s international network to align cross-sector leadership around mental health, disability, and substance use challenges. As the academic partner of this collaborative, Innovations provides continuing education credits, academic expertise, and operational support for professional learning opportunities offered through CBHL and GLE. The collaboration is designed to strengthen leadership capacity, encourage cross-sector collaboration, and equip professionals to spread innovation and best practice in the behavioral health field.

"This partnership reflects our shared commitment to developing leaders who can address today's most complex behavioral health challenges," said Laura Curran, dean and professor at the UConn School of Social Work. "By serving as the academic anchor for both CBHL and GLE, Innovations connects academic excellence with practical leadership development, helping professionals translate research into meaningful improvements for children, adults, and their families.

The agreement arrives at a pivotal moment of expansion for all three entities. GLE recently gathered over 600 global delegates for its high-profile, bi-annual Leadership Exchange 2026 in Canada, while CBHL continues to expand its cross-sector network and leadership initiatives across the United States. Simultaneously, Innovations continues to scale its national footprint, expanding its specialized research, evaluation, and workforce development in support of systems of care across the U.S.

"True transformation in behavioral health requires cultivating leadership across sectors and borders," said Stephen J. Appleton, president and chief executive of GLE. "Partnering with Innovations and CBHL provides our global network with the expertise and infrastructure to turn emerging leadership concepts into sustainable, evidence-informed action."

"CBHL was founded on the belief that meaningful change happens when leaders from different disciplines come together to learn from one another and work toward shared solutions," said Marcellina Melvin, CBHL board president. "This partnership expands opportunities for our members to access high-quality continuing education, connect with international thought leaders, and strengthen the leadership capacity needed to address the evolving behavioral health needs of our communities."

By combining UConn’s academic resources with CBHL’s national leadership network and GLE’s international reach, the collaborative aims to elevate professional development standards, disseminate critical leadership resources, and build resilient systems of care for children, adults, and families worldwide.

About Innovations Institute, UConn SSW Innovations Institute is a multidisciplinary center within the University of Connecticut School of Social Work dedicated to improving outcomes for children, youth, young adults, and their families. Innovations Institute partners with state, local, and national entities to provide research, technical assistance, training, and workforce development to advance equitable and effective systems of care.

About the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL) The College for Behavioral Health Leadership is a national non-profit organization where cross-sector leaders collaborate to grow, connect, and transform communities. CBHL defines leadership by the desire to effect change, convening diverse public and private leaders to share expertise, develop actionable skills, and build equity-grounded systems of wellbeing across the lifespan.

About Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) Global Leadership Exchange is an international network that connects mental health, substance use, and disability leaders around the world. GLE facilitates the rapid exchange of knowledge, innovation, operational expertise, and problem-solving strategies through its international network, regular online collaborative groups, and global biennial matches to accelerate international system and leadership improvement.

MAY 20, 2026 –A new Children’s Behavioral Health Collective (the CBH Collective), of which Innovations Institute is a founding member, was formed to leverage the extensive national expertise of its partners to foster resilience, health, and wellbeing for children, youth, and families with behavioral health needs. The CBH Collective does this through transforming child-serving systems, advancing collaboration across sectors, and developing solutions grounded in data, evidence, and lived experience.

Children, youth, and families need access to behavioral health services in their homes and communities. Approximately one in five children in the United States experiences a mental health condition each year (Center for Disease Control, 2023).

While there is much known about best practices that support families to thrive, these practices are not fully implemented, and families continue to face significant challenges accessing needed care. Cross-system partnerships are necessary to fully implement effective, evidence-informed approaches and improve access, coordination, and outcomes across services.

While behavioral health needs are of major concern for the general population, prevalence and intensity are significantly higher for children who are involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Children, youth, and families may come to the attention of these deep end systems due to gaps in behavioral health care. In addition, children and families may also experience the trauma of separation from home and community with involvement in child welfare and juvenile justice, further exacerbating their needs.

The CBH Collective shares (1) a commitment to addressing the behavioral health needs of children and youth to prevent future engagement in more punitive systems, (2) a recognition that its member organizations are undertaking a set of policy and programmatic activities to respond to this imperative, and (3) the need for an ongoing forum for coordinating activities and collaborating to achieve the greatest possible collective impact.

As a collective that includes representatives from a broad array of systems, we are uniquely positioned to strengthen the national continuum of behavioral health services for children, youth, and families by collaborating to develop actionable goals related to governance and service delivery models, policymaking, and program implementation.

The founding members of the CBH Collective include the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs, Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE), Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), Chapin Hall, Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA), Family Run Executive Director Leadership Association (FREDLA), Foster Care Alumni of America, Innovations Institute at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, National Association of Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), Social Current, and the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA).

Explore these two essential resources to help partners, providers, and policymakers take immediate action: our official Communications & Media Toolkit and the CBH Collective Infographic.