Child and Adolescent Mental Health 

Santa Clara University’s School of Education and Counseling Psychology (ECP) is the largest therapist preparer in the region. Beginning in fall of 2021, we are expanding our Master’s program and creating the only licensure-track, non-medical, child and adolescent mental health specialization in the San Francisco Bay Area. About 50% of young people in the United States will have a diagnosable mental illness by the time they are 18. The need is greater than ever and the time is now to support this important work. Our goal is to be a nationally recognized leader in this field.

Making a Santa Clara University education affordable is important to our mission as a Jesuit institution and vital to the growth of our national reputation. With the help of our donors supporting scholarship funds, we can help high-achieving students earn their degree regardless of their ability to pay.

Leading Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Sheri Sobrato Brisson M.A. ’94 and Eric Brisson have funded the largest endowed chair in the history of SCU. This gift will enable ECP to hire a nationally prominent scholar in child and adolescent mental health, support research and the development of a new specialization within the Counseling Psychology department, and establish community outreach related to this critical area.

“I’ve seen the adverse life circumstances young people face, and their need to make decisions about what they want out of life and how they’re going to get there. There is a significant shortage of therapists, particularly for underserved populations. I hope our gift moves the needle in thought leadership in the field, and draws people to Santa Clara for training who can go on to affect the lives of many young people in their own communities.” - Sheri Sobrato Brisson

Priorities

  • Student Scholarships
    To attract the next generation of top therapists, particularly those who will work with youth in underserved communities, scholarship support and funding for paid internships is critical.
  • Workshops, Conferences, and Thought-Leadership
    Additional support allows us to host expert thought-leadership programming for those both internal and external to SCU.
  • Undergraduate Exploration, Research, and Discovery
    We will create paid research opportunities for undergraduates, allowing them to explore this field and discover their passion, all while building a pipeline of Broncos who will impact the world.

Join Us on Our Mission

Help Santa Clara advance our distinctive Jesuit education by supporting Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

GIVE TO ECP