CHAPEL HILL, NC – (July 23, 2025) – The UNC Department of Psychiatry’s IMProving Adolescent and Child health Through Telepsychiatry in North Carolina (IMPACTT-NC) program has received a grant for $200,000 from Camber Foundation, aimed at expanding telepsychiatry services for school children in Duplin and Robeson counties.
Camber Foundation is an emerging foundation that provides grants to nonprofit organizations in Eastern North Carolina working to address existing needs through community-driven solutions. Camber selected IMPACTT-NC because it aligns with the Foundation’s commitment to support organizations that improve access to the broad spectrum of resources that promote optimal health and well-being for communities, individuals, and families so that all can thrive.
“Supporting this expansion of access to psychiatric care in Eastern North Carolina isn’t just an investment in students’ well-being – it’s a commitment to unlocking their full potential,” said Leslie Ann Jackson, president and CEO, Camber Foundation.
Behavioral health is a major driver of individual morbidity, disability and mortality. Access to behavioral health care is very challenging for children and adolescents – with just 200 child psychiatrists clustered in 31 counties, North Carolina ranks 44th in the United States for access to children’s behavioral health care. To address these substantial barriers and to support equal access, IMPACTT-NC uses an innovative model that collaborates with local school districts and community partners to reduce barriers to accessing psychiatric care using virtual care.
School-based telehealth services increase access, improve student health and wellness, decrease absenteeism, and improve academic achievement. Distinct from other school-based behavioral health models, IMPACTT-NC also incorporates the expertise of leading child and adolescent psychiatrists to guide implementation, provide direct care to children and families, consult with educators, and provide consultation and integration with local primary care providers.
IMPACTT-NC has a vision to see North Carolina children and adolescents easily access behavioral health care to achieve their highest potential with an overarching goal to create at least one access point for specialty level child and adolescent psychiatric services in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties by 2030.
“Our youth in North Carolina need innovative solutions to help them face the unique challenges of the modern world,” said Nate Sowa, MD, PhD, director of the UNC Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Virtual Care. “This grant is vital to the work of IMPACTT-NC to improve the mental health for all of North Carolina’s next generation through reducing barriers to high-quality mental health care. We are extremely grateful to Camber Foundation for their partnership and support in this effort.”
About Camber Foundation
Camber Foundation is an emerging foundation in North Carolina, which began its development in 2021. Built upon philanthropic resources with roots in Eastern North Carolina, this region of the state is a priority. Camber Foundation grants support nonprofit organizations serving community-driven solutions, focusing on the areas of health and wellness, education, and economic development.
About UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 17 hospitals across 20 hospital campuses and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of UNC School of Medicine. It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching mission of UNC School of Medicine.