Laurel K. Leslie, MD, MPH, Named Director of the Mental and Behavioral Health Institute at Cincinnati Children’s

Friday, September 20, 2024

As America grapples with a crisis in child mental health, Cincinnati Children's is pleased to announce that a top authority in pediatric healthcare and policy will become the first leader to direct the combined activities of the nation's largest provider of pediatric inpatient mental and behavioral health services.

Laurel K. Leslie, MD, MPH, currently vice president of research at the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), will become the inaugural director of the new Cincinnati Children's Mental and Behavioral Health Institute (MBHI), effective Feb. 24, 2025.

"Dr. Leslie's extensive pediatric leadership and proven experience in pediatric mental, behavioral and developmental health makes her the ideal choice to direct our Mental and Behavioral Health Institute," says Tina Cheng, MD, MPH, director of the Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and chief medical officer of the health system. "Her expertise and passion for improving pediatric mental healthcare will help us advance our aspirations as the leader in improving child health."

What is the Mental and Behavioral Health Institute?

Cincinnati Children's has been at the forefront of pediatric mental, behavioral and developmental healthcare and research for more than two decades. The new institute was announced in October 2023 at Cincinnati Children's annual Kaleidoscope fundraising event, which benefited the health system's mental and behavioral health services.

The new institute integrates the divisions of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. This innovative structure allows for deeper collaboration among experts across specialty fields and among a network of community partners that will serve as a national model system for improving outcomes for children affected by mental, developmental, and behavioral challenges.

The institute was launched with a generous $15 million lead gift from The James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation and has inspired additional giving to further expand access, research, community partnerships, and school services.

Cincinnati Children's has three other major institutes that combine multiple divisions and reflect world-class leadership in care and research: the Perinatal Institute, the Heart Institute and the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute.

Who is Dr. Leslie?

Leslie has held professorships at Tufts University School of Medicine since 2006, where she has focused on clinical, research and policy work to better integrate mental and behavioral care with clinical care for children in settings ranging from outpatient clinics and schools to child welfare and protective services.

In addition to joining the American Board of Pediatrics in a leadership role in 2015, Leslie has co-chaired two National Academy of Medicine meetings focusing on healthcare workforce training and developing integrated care models for children's behavioral health.

Leslie is board certified in general pediatrics and developmental-behavioral pediatrics. She holds degrees from Harvard University, UNC Chapel Hill and San Diego State University and completed residency and fellowship trainings at the University of California, San Francisco.

"The mental health crisis among children, adolescents and young adults is the most critical pediatric public health emergency of our time," Leslie says. "I am honored to have the opportunity to work at Cincinnati Children's where the leadership, faculty and staff are committed to addressing this crisis in every setting from schools and primary care offices through inpatient care."

ABP President and CEO Michael Barone, MD, MPH, congratulated Leslie as she takes on a new role. "While her departure will certainly be felt across our organization, this is a wonderful next step for Laurel as she follows her passion for improving the mental and behavioral health outcomes for children," Barone says. "Cincinnati Children's will greatly benefit from her leadership and vision in this important area. We wish her well in this very exciting next chapter."

Moving Forward

With generous support from the Convalescent Hospital Fund for Children and other donors, Cincinnati Children's recently invested $108 million to renovate and expand its mental health care facilities at its College Hill campus. Experts here also have overhauled how children with mental and behavioral needs move through the health system, from emergency care to outpatient services.

Under Leslie's leadership, the institute will prioritize:

• Reducing mental health-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations by strengthening outpatient care and early interventions.
• Improving mental health services in community settings such as schools and primary care clinics, embedding mental health providers in these environments to increase accessibility.
• Collaborating with families, educators and policymakers to ensure children's mental, behavioral and developmental health services are integrated with other healthcare needs.
• Investing in research and innovation to build early detection systems, digital health interventions, and collaborative models of care that empower families to take an active role in their children's mental health journey.

"The creation and growth of the Mental and Behavioral Health Institute would not be possible without the support of families, healthcare professionals, community organizations, local schools and philanthropic partners, as we all work together to tackle the mental health crisis affecting youth here in our region and as a model for others," Cheng says. "Dr. Leslie and our entire MBHI team will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that every child receives the support and care they need to live their best possible life."

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