November 2025

PSYCHIATRY

INTRODUCING THE NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE DAUTEN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INSTITUTE

Northwestern Medicine is proud to announce a transformative $25 million gift from Kent and Liz Dauten and the Dauten Family Foundation to establish the Northwestern Medicine Dauten Behavioral Health Institute, a pioneering initiative aimed at redefining behavioral health care across Chicagoland and beyond. The gift also establishes the Bipolar Disorder Center of Excellence to advance understanding and patient care.

“We are honored to support Northwestern Medicine in its mission to elevate behavioral health care,” said Liz Dauten, president, Dauten Family Foundation. Kent Dauten added, “Our family’s philanthropy has prioritized the field of brain science and mental health where there is an explosion in demand for care and an urgent need to find better treatments. As longstanding supporters of the Northwestern Medicine three-pronged model - clinical care, research and education - we could not be more excited about this new collaboration.”

This visionary partnership will enable Northwestern Medicine to better meet the needs of patients and families, optimize systemwide resources, and set new standards for behavioral health care delivery. The Institute will serve as a central platform for enhancing care coordination, improving screening, and ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time.

“This extraordinary gift from the Dauten family marks a turning point in our ability to deliver world-class behavioral health care,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “The Dauten Behavioral Health Institute will be a beacon of hope and innovation, advancing patient care, research, and education for generations to come.”

Due to its strong interest in brain health and science with an emphasis on bipolar disorder, the Dauten Family Foundation has become one of the leading national investors in this field. Its portfolio approach ranges from investing in basic neuroscience to translational research, to community mental health organizations, to educational and stigma fighting programs, to policy and advocacy work. The Dauten Family Foundation’s mission is to not only promote mental health but to assure that those who suffer from mental illnesses can lead meaningful, productive and happy lives.

A Bold Vision for Behavioral Health
The Northwestern Medicine Dauten Behavioral Health Institute will be a leader in delivering superior clinical care, driving novel diagnostic and treatment approaches, and shaping the future of behavioral health care nationally. It will feature destination clinical programs for patients with complex diagnoses and disorders, with the Bipolar Disorder Center of Excellence as its first major initiative.

Bipolar Disorder Center of Excellence
The Center will provide comprehensive, high-quality, patient- and family-centered care and serve as a platform for translational research with a large and defined clinical population and strong neuroscience environment. The Center aims to contribute to national research and efforts to improve the health and well-being of individuals living with bipolar disorder by transforming systems of care, accelerating research, fostering collaboration, and enabling data-driven improvement.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Liz and Kent Dauten to develop a nationally recognized center of excellence focused on providing patients with bipolar disorder improved access to state-of-the-art, high-quality, interdisciplinary care, and pushing the envelope of innovative care models and patient-focused research in the field,” said Sachin Patel, MD, PhD, chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern Medicine.

A Comprehensive Ecosystem
The Institute will also include:
  • Peer and employment support programs
  • Clinical research and patient outcomes registry
  • Collaborative behavioral health care models
  • Emergency psychiatry and consultative liaison services
  • Innovation fund to catalyze pilot projects

​This gift represents one of the largest philanthropic investments in behavioral health in the region and reflects a shared commitment to improving mental health care at scale.

​​This article was originally published in NM Newsroom on November 19,  2025.

Refer a Patient

Northwestern Medicine welcomes the opportunity to partner with you in caring for your patients. ​

You May Also Like