Mission and History

Our Mission
At the Penn Collaborative, we are committed to raising the standard of mental healthcare for all. We focus on ensuring that people in low-resource communities, who often face significant barriers to care, can access high-quality, evidence-based practices (EBPs). We achieve this by focusing on four core principles:

• System-Wide Transformation: We partner with mental healthcare organizations to integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other EBPs into a unified, sustainable approach. Rather than relying on a few specialists, we help entire systems build the capacity to deliver high-quality care.
• Empowering Providers: We equip mental health providers with flexible, evidence-based tools, giving them the skills and confidence to help clients achieve their personal goals.
• Advancing the Science: We advance the science of implementation through cutting-edge research. This includes developing tools that leverage artificial intelligence and other technologies to scale access to care.
• Cultivating the Future: We mentor the next generation of implementation scientists, ensuring that this vital work continues to grow and evolve.

Our History
The Penn Collaborative's journey began with a foundational project, sparked by a shared vision between Dr. Aaron Beck, the Father of Cognitive Therapy, and Dr. Arthur Evans, a former commissioner of Philadelphia’s public mental health system. Together, they envisioned a partnership that would expand CBT beyond academic research and integrate it into public mental health systems, significantly increasing access to this evidence-based practice.

Since its inception, our work has grown in both scope and impact. The worldwide demand for implementing CBT and other EBPs has surged, and our list of partners and research portfolio have expanded in response. We are now funded by leading agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), system- and state-level partnerships, and relationships with industry partners, reflecting our commitment to leading the scientific landscape and partnering with diverse systems worldwide.