Building the Future of Pediatric Behavioral Health

Author: Brian Hager, President & CEO

Every day, families come to the Ackerman Center looking for answers, support, and hope for their child's future. As the need for pediatric behavioral health services continues to grow across Nevada, our responsibility extends beyond the care we provide today. We must also invest in the workforce that will care for the next generation of children and families.

Psychology Doctoral Interns at the Ackerman Center

I'm proud to share that the Ackerman Center has partnered with UNLV PRACTICE to welcome their first psychology doctoral interns. Through this partnership, the Ackerman Center will serve as a clinical training site where doctoral interns complete rotations alongside our multidisciplinary team, applying their education in a real-world pediatric setting while supporting children, teens, young adults, and families.

This partnership is about much more than providing a place to learn. It reflects our commitment to investing in the future of pediatric behavioral health and expanding access to specialized care for children and families across our community. By serving as a clinical training site, the Ackerman Center offers future psychologists the opportunity to learn within a comprehensive, multidisciplinary model of care while gaining meaningful hands-on experience that will shape their careers.

For families, this partnership means being part of something that reaches far beyond the walls of the Ackerman Center. Every family served, every clinical experience, and every opportunity to learn helps prepare future psychologists to better understand and support the unique needs of children and families. The care provided today is helping shape the providers who will serve our community for years to come.

This partnership also represents an important step toward establishing Nevada's first accredited pediatric psychology internship site. By investing in doctoral-level training at the Ackerman Center, we're helping strengthen Nevada's ability to attract, train, and retain talented pediatric behavioral health professionals for years to come. Together with UNLV PRACTICE, we're building a strong foundation for the future of pediatric behavioral health, one that benefits not only tomorrow's providers, but every family who will depend on their care.

At the Ackerman Center, we believe the strongest communities are built through meaningful partnerships. We're grateful to UNLV PRACTICE for sharing our vision and entrusting us to serve as a clinical training site for tomorrow's pediatric psychologists. Together, we're investing in a future where more children receive the specialized care they need, more families have access to services close to home, and Nevada continues to build the expertise needed to support generations to come.