Institutional Repository Collection Policy

Overview

Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies (CGI) Institutional Repository (IR) is a digital showcase of research, scholarly work, and institute publications that serves as a digital archive for these materials. The goals of the IR include the stewardship and global online dissemination of content created and selected by CGI stakeholders.

Scope

This policy applies to all CGI stakeholders submitting content to the Institutional Repository and all departments responsible for review, approval, publication, and maintenance of repository content.

Stakeholders are defined as students, alumni, faculty, staff, board members, and approved institutional partners. External contributors must be sponsored and approved by the Electronic Campus Department.

Submission Requirements

The materials submitted for the IR must meet the following requirements:

In a final form, no drafts or in-progress work
In a digital format.
Contain attached scholarship rather than links to external publications, whenever possible.
- Note: Collections that refer to external sources are strongly encouraged to archive the URL using the Internet Archive, to guarantee long-term access.
The full content.
If content is part of a series, other works in that series must also be deposited when available so that the IR can offer a full and complete collection.

Submissions that do not meet these requirements may be rejected or returned for revision.

Accepted Content Types

The following types of content will be accepted for the IR:

Culminating Projects (CP)
Conference presentations
Conference posters
Journal Publications
Openly licensed educational resources
Working papers and technical reports
White papers
Audio and video recordings
Images
Institute based publications

Technical and Accessibility Requirements Specifications

The CGI Library recommends certain formats be used in consideration of long-term preservation of digital content. Open file formats are preferred over proprietary versions as they are more likely to be available and accessible over time, (i.e. PDF rather than Docx). The file formats with the best chance of survival have open specifications, are high quality, and are in relatively wide use.

Where possible, all submissions must meet baseline accessibility standards, including but not limited to:

Tagged PDFs
Alternative text for images
Captions or transcripts for audio/video content

Submissions that do not meet accessibility requirements may be returned for remediation prior to publication.

Access and Rights

All content deposited in the IR must include an electronically signed IR media release form prior to publication granting permission for the content to be held in the IR.

All deposited content will be made available to the public, except when forbidden by contracts or rights. Content in the repository constitutes a digital instance based on permissions granted particularly to the CGI Library to make relevant resources available, and this permission does not extend to other entities. Beyond the implicit right to read the content or download or print a copy for personal use, re-use rights vary based on the permissions granted by rights holders.

The contributor must either hold the copyright, or the right to deposit, for all contributed content.

Contributor Certification

By submitting content, the contributor certifies that:

The submission does not infringe on any third-party rights
All necessary permissions have been obtained
The content complies with applicable copyright and licensing laws

Contributors agree that if any copyright or permission issues arise from their submission, they are responsible for resolving them and will protect CGI from any related claims or legal issues.

CGI retains a non-exclusive right to preserve, reproduce, and disseminate submitted content.
CGI reserves the right to remove, restrict, or suspend access to content without prior notice if legal, ethical, or policy violations are suspected.

Administration

The CGI IR is maintained by the Electronic Campus Department, which includes the Library. Content in the IR is uploaded via mediated deposit. When copyright holders grant permission to include work in the IR, the Electronic Campus Department uploads the content directly to the IR.

Authority

The Electronic Campus Department has authority to approve, reject, or remove submissions
The Compliance Department provides oversight for policy alignment and legal requirements
Final authority in disputes rests with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) or designee

The Electronic Campus is committed to providing preservation of repository content. In order to preserve the contents in the IR, the Electronic Campus Department will coordinate with the IR vendor to:

Provide secure storage and backup
Perform routine maintenance
Create provenance records and other preservation metadata to support accessibility and management over time, as necessary.

Withdrawal

All deposits are considered permanent institutional records. Copyright holders may request their work be suppressed. All requests are reviewed and honored, unless the items serve as evidence of the completion of an educational requirement at the institute (CP project). In the event of an academic challenge or a degree being revoked by the CGI, an appropriate institute official may request removal of the CP or other CGI academic work.

Content deposited in the Institutional Repository is intended to contribute to the scholarly and academic record of the institution.

Authors and copyright holders may request that their work be removed from public access at any time. Such requests will be reviewed and, when appropriate, the work will be suppressed from public view.

For works submitted in fulfillment of academic requirements (e.g., culminating projects), the institution may retain a record of the work as evidence of program completion, even if the full content is no longer publicly accessible.

The institution reserves the right to remove or restrict access to content in cases involving legal obligations, copyright concerns, or academic integrity issues, including changes to a student’s academic standing.

Policy Responsibility

Staff Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the Electronic Campus Department to oversee the IR and the work held within it. The Electronic Campus is also responsible for ensuring that permissions were given for the work to be uploaded to the IR.

It is the responsibility of the Compliance Department to ensure the policy and release forms are up to date and accurate.

Policy Procedure

Stakeholder submits content and signs IR Media Release Form
Electronic Campus countersigns and initiates review
Submission undergoes compliance and quality review
Content is approved, returned for revision, or rejected
Approved content is uploaded and published by the Electronic Campus Department

Forms

IR Media Release Form

Approvals/Revision History

Policy was revised on: March 25, 2026
Policy was approved by and date: Amanda Harrison, COO, 3/25/2026

Testimonials

“As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.”
Willam Chum, LMHCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

“The Doctor in Behavioral Health (DBH) program has changed my understanding of the subject and career path. Before this academic journey, my knowledge of behavioral health was primarily theoretical, including essential ideas and methods. However, the DBH curriculum combined intense academic research with practical application, helping me understand behavioral health from multiple angles. Recognizing mental health as part of total health changed my perspective. The biopsychosocial model, which showed how biological, psychological, and social variables affect mental health, was stressed in the DBH curriculum. This comprehensive approach made me realize how complex human behavior is and how important it is to address mental health issues. Effective interventions must target the individual’s surroundings, relationships, and life experiences, not just symptoms. The curriculum also gave me enhanced evidence-based practice training to execute successful solutions. Studies methods and data analysis classes improved my critical thinking and allowed me to evaluate and apply behavioral health studies. This gave me the confidence to contribute to the field’s knowledge base through practice and research.”
Dr. Rhea Hill, DBH, LPCDBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 17, 2025

“This program will change how you present to the world, not just as a professional but as an individual. Understand this is work but the work is worth it and the journey is undeniably transformative. If you are seeking a doctorate for the title, this is not the program for you. If you are seeking a doctorate to interrupt and disrupt the course of healthcare, then this is the program for you. You won’t find a more supportive program with professors who are dedicated to your success and your education. This program is not about the regurgitation of information. It is about the appropriate applied application of knowledge and information to push forward and become an advocate for equitable and quality care for all.”
Brandy K. Biglow LMHC, CCTP, QSDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 5, 2024

“The Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) program has definitely transformed my understanding of behavioral health. Understanding the links between physical and mental health has taught how to make better treatment decisions. The DBH program has also given me insights that otherwise would not be possible and allows me to view individuals through a lens that I was previously ignorant of. This program has helped me grow into a more confident individual, provider, and parent.”
Cory H. Cannady, BCBA, LBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 13, 2024

“The DBH program has reinforced my vision of viewing behavioral health (BH) as an integrated component of the healthcare system rather than a siloed service. As a practitioner in the focused BH realm of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, I observe on a regular basis how identifying and serving SUD patients is often missed, ignored and stigmatized in primary healthcare, despite the fact that early intervention at these check-points often has the potential to intervene earlier and lessen the negative SUD outcomes frequently seen by the time a patient reaches specialty SUD services. Reinforcement received in my DBH program has motivated me to promote integration as a leader in my workplace and is a primary factor in considering the long-term trajectory of my individual career path.”
Kenneth L. Roberts, MPS, LPCC, LADCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 5, 2024

“Graduating from the DBH program has influenced and enhanced my approach to addressing behavioral health challenges and making a difference in the field by preparing me to become a serious business owner. Through the DBH program, I understand now that becoming a business owner not only assists me in reaping the financial benefits of working for myself, but the program also offers me a sense of freedom to make a difference in an individual’s life.”
Dr. Rebecca K. Wright, DBH, LBA, BCBA, QBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 18, 2024

“I have always wanted to pursue a higher degree but never found a program that met my needs. When I investigated the DBH program, I can honestly say I was excited. It was a program that would expand my knowledge in behavioral health but also how it relates to physical health. The philosophy of treating the whole person was exactly what I was looking for.”
Elizabeth Nekoloff, M.Ed., LPCC-S, NCCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 16, 2025

“Prior to obtaining my DBH, I practiced behavioral health within the boundaries of behavior analysis. The DBH degree has given me the ability to broaden my scope of competence allowing me to provide a higher quality of care to my clients through a person-centered approach, while still staying within my scope of practice. I was in the beginning stages of opening my business when I enrolled in the DBH program which set my trajectory towards being a stronger leader. The program equipped me with essential healthcare leadership and entrepreneurial skills, allowing me to ensure high-quality services for my clients and foster a supportive work environment for our staff. It has also given me the confidence to expand my business and pursue other healthcare ventures, reaching a broader range of patients in need.”
Dr. Pauline Tolentino Pablo, DBH, BCBA, IBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 21, 2025

“Although I have worked with many patients who have mental health diagnoses, or behaviors which make managing their medical diagnoses and day to day life difficult, the DBH program at CGI is broadening that knowledge and providing a deeper understanding of behavioral health and how best to help these individuals manage their health and improve their quality of life. This will allow me to provide and advocate for more meaningful and seamless integrated care, providing new tools for my intervention toolbox, and the confidence and skills to collaborate within and lead whole person focused interdisciplinary teams. I also anticipate building upon my knowledge as a nurse case manager and long time caregiver, as well as my personal passions and professional vision, learning about processes and operations, to be in position to start up and lead my own company one day, offering the services and care I know every person should have access to.”
Hollie Wilson, MSN, RN, CCMDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 11, 2025

“The DBH program will open opportunities for me to contribute to healthcare system innovation, particularly through trauma-informed care and integrated behavioral health settings. I will be better positioned to advocate for and implement holistic care models that improve health outcomes for underserved populations. Ultimately, this program will help me transition into higher-level roles, such as a director or consultant in behavioral health, where I can influence broader system changes and contribute to the future of healthcare delivery.”
DeKyn Rashad Peters, MPH-CHES,BSW/BA,APCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 4, 2025