Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program - Project Title: Primary Health Solutions Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training Program Applicant Organization Name: Primary Health Solutions (PHS) Project Period: 7/1/2025 - 6/30/2029 Funding Priority: Qualification 3: New Program Project Description: Primary Health Solutions (PHS) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) dedicated to providing integrated, patient-centered care to underserved communities across southwestern Ohio. With a network of 19 health center sites, PHS offers a comprehensive range of services, including primary care, behavioral health, dental, vision, and pharmacy, to address the diverse needs of its patient population. PHS is uniquely situated to serve as a clinical training site for developing the behavioral health workforce, offering trainees hands-on experience in high-need and high-demand service areas in Butler County, Ohio. PHS’ Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program will prepare Master of Social Work (MSW) students to deliver integrated behavioral health services in high-need and high-demand areas through clinical training in its three community health center sites and four school-based health center sites. In partnership with Miami University’s Department of Family Science and Social Work, the program will provide clinical training to a minimum of 12 MSW students in their final year of study. Each trainee will complete 500–600 hours of clinical training through a one-year training program, split between school-based health centers and community health center sites. Clinical training will focus on working with youth, adolescents, and adults in rural, underserved communities. As an FQHC, PHS will also train students in an integrated care model, where provider teams may include primary care, behavioral health, dental, vision, pharmacy, maternal health, and pediatric providers, as well as case management, social work, and eligibility assistance staff. Trainees will gain hands-on experience in multidisciplinary collaboration, preparing them to deliver holistic, patient-centered care in high-need settings. Needs to Be Addressed: The program targets behavioral health provider shortages in Oxford, Hamilton, and Middletown, Ohio – Medically Underserved Communities (MUC), where patient-to-provider ratios exceed state and national averages, and rural populations experience income disparities and access barriers. The program aims to strengthen behavioral health workforce training in southwestern Ohio and increase retention of highly trained professionals in the region. Proposed Services and Populations to Be Served: The program will serve underserved populations in MUCs, including children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth, with a focus on addressing behavioral health disparities. Trainees will complete clinical placements at seven high-need training sites, including four school-based health center sites and three community health centers. These sites offer integrated primary and behavioral health care, women’s health services, reentry programming, dental care, pharmacy, and ancillary services, leveraging an integrated care team model and emphasizing culturally competent, trauma-informed care and evidence-based practices. Funding Priority Qualification: PHS requests funding priority under Qualification 3: New Program, meeting the following criteria: 1. The program requires substantial clinical training in Medically Underserved Communities (MUCs). 2. A minimum of 20 percent of clinical faculty dedicate at least 50 percent of their time providing or supervising care in MUCs. 3. A significant portion of the program is physically located in a MUC. 4. The program includes a placement mechanism to help graduates secure positions in MUCs.
