EUGENE, Ore. – A new partnership at the University of Oregon aims to develop programs improving the mental health of student athletes in K-12 schools throughout the state and enhance care for UO student athletes.

UO officials announced the athletics department will work with the university’s Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health to develop programs promoting mental health in student-athletes from a young age. The program has been made possible by a gift from longtime UO supporters Nancy and Dave Petrone.

“The Ballmer Institute is developing a range of innovative programs to address the growing need for behavioral health support among children and adolescents,” said Katie McLaughlin, executive director of the Ballmer Institute. “We are excited to collaborate with the University of Oregon Department of Athletics to create new approaches to promote well-being in student-athletes beginning early in life, and we are grateful for the generous gift from David and Nancy Petrone that has made this partnership possible.”

This initiative includes the creation of two full-time positions, one at the Ballmer Institute and the other within the UO Department of Athletics medical team, college officials said. The clinician at the Ballmer Institute will work to develop resources for K-12 students, while the clinician within the athletics department will focus on the mental health needs of UO student-athletes and young adults, strengthen available related services, and increase clinical hours available to student-athletes.

Athletics staff said they know mental health support is crucial to the success of student athletes.

“As we’ve learned over the last several years, mental health support is critical for student athlete success, and for us, one of our highest priorities,” said Rob Mullens, UO’s Director of Athletics. “It’s a chance for college athletics at the University of Oregon to partner with the Ballmer Institute to create something that’s really unique to support student athletes.”

“Student athletes experience all the common challenges of college students,” said David Mikula, Director of Behavioral Health at UO Athletics. “To have a mental health specialist embedded within the athletic department that understands and can address the unique stressors.”

The program will launch at UO Portland’s new northeast campus in the fall of 2024, with an emphasis on promoting wellness among undergraduate students at the Ballmer Institute as they learn how to deliver youth mental health services within the community. The program also aims to improve retention in the behavioral health field.

Student athletes at the University of Oregon said the mental health support they have gotten so far has greatly benefitted them and are looking forward to their expansion.

“These resources has helped change my life,” said Anika Thompson, a UO Track and Field and Cross Country athlete. “To have an additional resource for other students to use, I think it’s amazing.”

“Being a student athlete, it’s a lot of work, it’s an intense schedule — it’s overwhelming at times,” said Halli Fields, UO Beach Volleyball player. “So now having an additional resource being added for us to have the support system that we need in order to thrive here, it’s such a good step forward.”

UO officials said the partnership has been in development since early 2023, with a search currently underway to fill new full-time staff positions. University officials believe the program will innovate care for student athletes across the country.

“Here we are again with Dave and Nancy, challenging us to be innovative, to find a new way to support student athletes,” said Mullens. “It’s with this seed money that we can create a great program to meet the needs of our student athletes.”

“We do innovative things that can change the world, others then can pick up on it,” said UO President John Karl Scholz. “Again make the University of Oregon a leader in supporting our student athletes.”