Mental Health
The United States is in the midst of a mental health crisis. More than 50 million people — about 20 percent of U.S. adults — experienced mental illness in 2022, and fewer than half of children and adults with a mental health disorder receive treatment. Notre Dame's commitment to mental health will rapidly accelerate the University’s ability to heal a world deeply in need — empowering psychology faculty and graduate students to advance research and provide clinical services that will expand the availability of mental health care in the community and offer innovative, scalable interventions and treatments that can make a difference across the country.
Status Update
In fall 2024, the University broke ground on the new Veldman Family Psychology Clinic at 501 N. Hill St. in South Bend. When the 35,000-square-foot facility opens in summer 2026, it will unite existing work at the William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families with new research on substance use and other developing areas, and it will foster collaboration among experts focused on evidence-based treatments of mental health issues.
Professor of Psychology Kristin Valentino was appointed inaugural director of the clinic in January 2025 and leads the strategic vision of the center — fostering a culture that integrates research and clinical practice to benefit both areas — and cultivate key community partnerships.
In fall 2025, the Veldman Family Psychology Clinic hired a director of clinical services who is currently leading a major grant focused on expanding trauma-informed care in the region and has begun training clinicians in St. Joseph County in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. The Veldman Clinic has also established an autism evaluation clinic, is currently hiring another clinician to help expand accessible care, and recently announced a new program that will help bridge the gap in local mental health care for young people through single-session interventions.
Construction continues on the physical site of the clinic, and installation of a state-of-the-art fMRI machine in the basement of the clinic building, which will be home to the Human Neuroimaging Center, will occur in March.
To learn more about the clinic’s commitment to combatting America’s mental health crisis, watch this recent installment of the “What Would You Fight For?” series.
Notre Dame makes a bold commitment to addressing the mental health crisis
Partners
- College of Arts & Letters
- Department of Psychology
- Division of Student Affairs
- William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families
Additional partners will be added as work on the initiative continues in the coming months and years.
