Dear School Mental Health Colleagues,

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) is entering an exciting new chapter as we prepare for a strategic leadership transition.

After nearly 25 years of dedicated service, Dr. Sharon Hoover will be retiring from the University and her role as Co-Director. Dr. Hoover’s impact on school mental health has been profound, and her leadership has been instrumental in advancing policies, programs, and partnerships that support the well-being of youth across the country and beyond. We are deeply grateful for her contributions and celebrate her lasting legacy.

The Center’s remaining Co-Director, Dr. Nancy Lever, who has been with NCSMH since its inception, will transition into a newly established role as Executive Director of School Mental Health within the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In this capacity, she will provide executive oversight and strategic guidance to all Division school mental health clinical, training, technical assistance, and research initiatives, including the NCSMH.

As part of this transition, we are pleased to announce that current NCSMH faculty leaders, Drs. Jill Bohnenkamp and Brittany Patterson, will assume new leadership roles as Co-Directors of NCSMH. Both bring a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to advancing school mental health policies and programs to support learning and success for America’s youth.

This transition marks a new era of growth and impact for NCSMH, and we look forward to continuing our work alongside school, community, and policy partners to promote student mental health nationwide.

Please join us in thanking Dr. Hoover for her extraordinary leadership, and in welcoming Drs. Lever, Bohnenkamp and Patterson into their new roles.

National Center for School Mental Health

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

University of Maryland School of Medicine