To enhance the well-being of children with and at-risk of disabilities and their families by developing, implementing, and evaluating services that empower families and youth with emotional and behavioral needs; support educational providers; and improve the quality of services delivered throughout the educational and behavioral health continuum of care for youth at risk.

Goals

The goal of the ACFW is to become a nationally recognized Center of Excellence for research on child and family interventions for youth with emotional and behavioral needs. The specific goals of the Academy are as follows:

(1)          MAXIMIZE the unique opportunities established through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Boys Town research partnership by jointly working to secure federal and foundation funding for the development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of education, special education, mental health, behavioral services for children and families with special education needs, primarily emotional and behavioral difficulties;

 (2)         SUPPORT the state and national special education, child welfare, and mental health communities through out-reach, education, implementation, and dissemination of evidence-based research practices; and

(3)        DEVELOP educational and research opportunities for practitioners and University of Nebraska-Lincoln undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty dedicated to improving the behavioral and academic functioning of children with emotional and behavioral needs and their families. This collaboration is a unique opportunity to study the science of implementing and disseminating evidence-based interventions in real-world settings throughout the continuum of care nationwide.