Mission and History
The mission of the Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy is to improve practices, program implementation, and policies of human service systems that support families and individuals. We achieve this mission by engaging in services research, policy analysis, workforce enhancement, program development and evaluation.
History
The Center engages in a variety of initiatives and programs as it strives to inform and influence public policy, programs and practices to support those with behavioral health disabilities by synthesizing and transforming information and promoting new insight and understanding of crucial societal issues.
Starting in 1990, Applied Behavioral Health Policy (ABHP) worked to make the world a better place for people with behavioral health disabilities. Located at the University of Arizona in Tucson, ABHP engaged with community agencies to identify and implement evidence-based strategies for the treatment of psychiatric and substance abuse disorders.
In 2006, ABHP joined Arizona State University and became the Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy (CABHP). The Center joined the College of Public Programs at the Downtown Phoenix Campus in 2009.
ASU President Michael Crow's commitment to and vision for a New American University, which encompasses eight overarching design imperatives, inspired this new partnership. CABHP recognizes its role in supporting the university's commitment to social embeddedness, knowledge entrepreneurism and social transformation.
The continuing CABHP mission consists of evaluating program effectiveness and research on new methodologies, training seminars and technical assistance to service organizations, as well as informing and advising policy-makers on issues related to the behavioral health treatment community.
Under the leadership of CABHP director Michael Shafer, Ph.D., CABHP is helping to ensure that the behavioral health of community is being addressed in a coordinated and comprehensive way, recognizing the interplay between behavioral health, child welfare, crime and housing.
Drawing on extensive research and evaluation, the CABHP staff works to ensure that public policy and programs are grounded in scientific or evidence-based approaches that respond to the needs and voices of the families and children served by community programs.
CABHP maintains offices in Phoenix and Tucson, and serves the behavioral health provider community throughout Arizona.
