Dr. Molly Lopez

Biography

Molly Lopez is a licensed clinical psychologist and Research Associate Professor at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin. She serves as the Director of the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health, focusing on advancing mental health services and improving the delivery of evidence-based practices across the state. Lopez's research interests encompass various facets of mental health services, including child and adolescent service systems, implementation of evidence-based practices, and cognitive-behavioral therapies. With a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, her expertise includes trauma-informed care, workforce competency, and systems of care. Previously, she held key leadership positions within the Texas Department of State Health Services, where she provided policy and programmatic oversight for children's mental health services. In these roles, Lopez played a critical part in the system redesign that aimed to ensure the availability of evidence-based treatments. The Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health works to enhance the use of effective practices and expand the capacity of the mental health workforce, empowering communities to develop resilience and recovery-oriented systems while evaluating efforts to improve service systems for adults, youth, and children facing mental health challenges.

Research Interests

Experience