About the Center
Our Mission & Vision
The mission of the Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health (CEBBH) is to enhance access to evidence-based behavioral health care for youth, adults, and families. We advance this mission through rigorous research that covers the entire continuum of treatment development—from design and testing to real-world implementation. Our work also emphasizes understanding the effectiveness of these practices and the factors that influence access to care. In addition, we provide innovative, high-quality, and cost-effective training and consultation services to strengthen and grow the behavioral health workforce in Northern Virginia and beyond. Our vision is to be a catalyst for a future where evidence-based behavioral health care is accessible to all, empowering individuals, families, and communities to thrive. Through cutting-edge research, innovative solutions, and a strengthened workforce, we strive to transform behavioral health systems and eliminate barriers, ensuring lasting, positive outcomes for those in need.
Within this vein, CEBBH also conducts research to understand mechanisms of change for our evidence-based treatments and practices, or more specifically, “how they work and with whom they work,” consistent with a person-centered approach. This may span multiple types of mechanisms, such as psychosocial, brain-based, genetic, proteomic, and psychophysiological. We also explore novel methods to inform, optimize, deliver, implement, and assess evidence-based treatments and practices, including via the integration of technology, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, we study barriers in access to care so that we can use this knowledge to aid with implementation of treatments and practices in community settings as well as develop engagement protocols. To increase reach of evidence-based treatments and practices, our intervention work and trainings engage professionals from multiple disciplines (e.g., psychology, counseling, social work, psychiatric nursing, psychiatry, etc.) and non-professionals (e.g., QMHPs, peer specialists, case managers, etc.). We bring together faculty from multiple disciplines with expertise than span all aspects of our work and community partners to achieve the mission of the CEBBH.
Our People
CEBBH is made up of a multi-disciplinary group of 20 faculty from multiple colleges and departments across George Mason University. This includes the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (Clinical Psychology, Applied Developmental Psychology, Industrial Organizational Psychology, Integrative Studies), College of Public Health (Health Administration and Policy, Global and Community Health, School of Nursing), the College of Education and Human Development (Kinesiology, Athletic Training), and the College of Engineering and Computing (Information Sciences and Technology). CEBBH faculty members hold expertise in diverse areas related to our mission. Some examples of these areas of expertise include:
- intervention development and adaptation
- clinical trials research
- implementation science
- developmental science
- community-engaged research
- culturally responsive clinical care
- measurement-based care
- use of technology in care and training
- stepped-care behavioral health models
- organizational development
- employee well-being
- injury prevention
- health adversity (e.g., chronic illness, acquired disability)
- health psychology
- patient-provider relationships
- social networks
- neuro-imaging
- cardio-vascular and psychophysiological assessment
- mixed methods research designs
- artificial intelligence and natural language processing in health applications
- advanced statistics