During the 1980s, the School developed a master’s concentration in Severe and Persistent Mental Illness, one of the first training programs nationally in the field.
In 1980, Clinical Professor Mona Wasow established a field unit in the School dedicated to the area of severe mental illness. Her contributions to the field of severe and persistent mental illness are nationally renowned.
The School’s ongoing efforts training students to work with people and families with mental illness were recognized in 1986 with the first university training recognition award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).