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Chapel Hill, N.C. \u2014 August 12, 2025 \u2014 The UNC Department of Psychiatry\u2019s IMPACTT-NC program (Improving Adolescent Child health Through Telepsychiatry in NC) and UNC Children\u2019s is proud to announce the launch of UNC-GIFTS \u2014 a collaborative partnership with Granville County Public Schools and Granville Vance Public Health \u2014 aimed at addressing the mental health needs of students in Granville County.<\/p>\n
Funded through The Duke Endowment and a partnership between the UNC Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Psychiatry, UNC-GIFTS (Granville Initiative for Thriving Students) will deliver coordinated behavioral health services to students across all fourteen schools within the Granville County Publics Schools system starting in August 2025.<\/p>\n
A Response to Urgent Need<\/strong><\/p>\n Access to behavioral health services for children in North Carolina is a growing crisis. With only 200 child psychiatrists across 31 of the state\u2019s 100 counties, North Carolina ranks 44th in the U.S. for access to children\u2019s behavioral health care. The UNC-GIFTS partnership aims to close that gap locally by leveraging in-person and virtual solutions.<\/p>\n Granville County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stan Winborne sees the district\u2019s participation in UNC-GIFTS as another resource for improving student safety, the district\u2019s top priority, while increasing academic achievement. According to Winborne, \u201cStudents with mental health concerns often struggle in school, where are educators are not qualified or equipped to provide the services they need to be academically and behaviorally successful. UNC-GIFTS allows us to align with trusted community partners to make care more accessible for students and families.\u201d<\/p>\n How the Partnership Works<\/strong><\/p>\n Convenient, Accessible, and Flexible Care<\/strong><\/p>\n Students will access care from school or community sites using telehealth technology. Caregivers can join sessions in person (at some locations) or remotely via phone or internet-connected devices. IMPACTT-NC\u2019s model addresses barriers such as lack of transportation, scheduling issues, and the need for privacy and structure \u2014 all common challenges in accessing behavioral health care.<\/p>\n Lisa Harrison, Director of Granville Vance Public Health, notes \u201cWorking together across our school system, public health, University partners, and funding partners, we can accomplish so much more than each of us could tackle alone. I appreciate the willingness of our school leaders and families to help us address the needs of school aged children and youth who need new ways to access behavioral health. We believe in offering whole-person, whole-community care.”<\/p>\n This partnership is built to be flexible and scalable, allowing schools to meet rising demand while ensuring every child in need has a path to professional support.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re combining trusted local care with innovative virtual services,\u201d said Dr. Mike Steiner, Pediatrician in Chief, Executive Vice Chair in the UNC Department of Pediatrics<\/span>. \u201cThat\u2019s the core of UNC-GIFTS \u2014 meeting kids where they are, with the right support, at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n