Nevada State University marked the opening of its inaugural mental health clinic on October 31. The Psychoeducational Mental Health Clinic aims to provide health evaluation services for students from pre-K to 12th grade, addressing a significant need in Southern Nevada. The event saw participation from university faculty, staff, and community partners. U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, and Congresswoman Susie Lee were instrumental in securing federal funding for the clinic.
Since its official launch on June 24, 2024, the clinic has started intake processes for 60 K-12 students and plans to complete 150 evaluations by September 2025. It operates through a collaboration between Nevada State’s Ed.S. School Psychology graduate training program and local professionals, offering evaluations and supportive services to help clients access educational and therapeutic resources.
“Offering these evaluation services helps address a critical need in Southern Nevada and ensures students in our community can access the supports and services they need to be successful at home, at school, and in the community,” said Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President of Nevada State University. “Having a psychoeducational mental health clinic at Nevada State provides our students with real clinical experience on campus while providing a much-needed community resource.”
Senator Cortez Masto expressed her support: “I’m pleased to join Nevada State University leadership, faculty, and staff today to celebrate Nevada State’s first mental health clinic, and I want to thank them for all they’re doing to provide young Nevadans the support they need.” She emphasized the importance of mental health care alongside physical health.
Congresswoman Susie Lee added her perspective: “I spent two decades working with students to help them succeed in and out of the classroom. I’ve seen firsthand how providing a holistic approach to their mental health is one of the most important investments we can make in students’ success.”
The clinic offers psychoeducational evaluations that assist with recommendations related to special education eligibility and necessary medical diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, developmental disabilities, emotional disorders, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities.
In recent years, Nevada State’s School of Education has received significant funding aimed at enhancing mental health services. This includes a subgrant from the Nevada Department of Education in 2020 for establishing career pathways for school-based mental health providers; a five-year $1.2 million federal grant awarded in 2022; and an additional $1.3 million from SAMHSA in 2023 specifically for launching this new clinic.
