Latest listening tour connects president with behavioral health

(Photo by UTHealth Houston)

President Melina R. Kibbe, MD, visited UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences Feb. 9 as part of her university-wide listening tour, an ongoing series of intentional visits designed to understand each school’s points of pride, accomplishments, and opportunities by hearing directly from the people who live them every day.

Throughout the afternoon’s activities, Kibbe spoke about her deep commitment to service, making the purpose of her visit clear: to truly understand what it takes to serve the behavioral health needs of Texas and how UTHealth Houston can help strengthen that work.

“My role is to help all seven schools and everyone within them to ensure we are delivering the best care possible and that we are at the table asking the question: ‘Is there a better way to deliver that care, advance our research, and train the next generation?’” Kibbe said.

While the visit included tours and presentations, the most meaningful moments came from conversations. During the dedicated town hall or informal discussions on the tours, the president spent time listening to the people who support Texas’ behavioral health needs, gaining insight into both the impact they make across the state and the challenges they face.

She met with faculty who have spent decades building programs, students preparing to enter an overstretched workforce, and staff whose daily work keeps behavioral health services moving forward. She listened intently as they shared what inspires them and what they believe is possible.

The visit began inside the Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences Building, where faculty guided her through innovative research spaces. From the imaging center to laboratories pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery, Kibbe observed how research conducted within these walls shapes the future of behavioral health care.

A stop at the Brain Bank with Consuelo Walss-Bass, PhD, professor and John S. Dunn Foundation Distinguished Chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, offered a rare, tangible look at the science behind mental health, illustrating how research informs treatment, fuels breakthroughs, and gives hope to countless families. 

Kibbe then visited the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center at UTHealth Houston, where she met with clinicians, trainees, and staff whose work reflects the realities of behavioral health care in Texas. Hearing firsthand about the triumphs and challenges across clinical and educational programs brought into sharp focus the urgency and impact of the collective mission.

Her willingness to listen, ask questions, and seek genuine understanding sent a powerful message: behavioral health matters, and it is a significant part of UTHealth Houston’s vision for the future.

Echoing that sense of momentum was Jair C. Soares, MD, PhD, vice president for Behavioral Sciences and Pat R. Rutherford, Jr. Chair in Psychiatry at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, as well as founding dean of UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences and executive director of the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center.

“What excites me most about where we are headed is the opportunity to grow boldly across clinical services, education, and research,” Soares said. “We are positioning ourselves to step up significantly, strengthen our impact, and truly consolidate our efforts across the behavioral health continuum. This is a moment of tremendous possibility.”

Adding to that perspective, Seema Jacob, PsyD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at McGovern Medical School, highlighted the school’s unique strengths and future opportunities.

“We have a clinical research infrastructure built to improve mental health and a remarkable intersection of teams willing to cross the bridge between research and clinical care,” Jacob said. “With the new School of Behavioral Health Sciences, we are facing a national mental health crisis head?on, and we have the leadership to bring that perspective into reality. We’re here, and we’re paving the way forward.”

For many across the School of Behavioral Health Sciences, the president’s visit brought a renewed sense of purpose. It reaffirmed its mission is seen, valued, and supported at the highest level of leadership.