Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program - The Center for Addiction Studies and Research (CASR) requests $2,399,963.60 in funding to develop and deliver a training program to increase the supply of behavioral health professionals dedicated to providing integrated care in high-need, high-demand areas in New York (NY). Over the four-year project, CASR will train 48 new master’s-level mental health students to fill critical substance use disorder (SUD) counseling and supervisory roles. While CASR’s existing programs are available nationwide, the project will focus on establishing partnerships with training sites in underserved communities in NY. Shortages of qualified providers limit timely access to SUD treatment—particularly for children, adolescents, and young adults. Expanding the SUD treatment professional workforce will help the NY behavioral healthcare system close service gaps and improve access to care. Throughout the grant period, CASR aims to: 1) increase the number of community partnerships with experiential training sites in high-need and high demand areas, 2) promote collaborative training by using team-based models of care to integrate behavioral health care into interprofessional primary care settings, 3) recruit a diverse workforce interested in working with children, adolescents, and young adults, and 4) recruit, develop, and expand the capacity to train clinical supervisors to support and mentor behavioral health trainees. CASR will develop a comprehensive didactic and experiential training program for master’s-level mental health trainees that will lead to certification/licensure in the SUD counseling field. CASR will also develop a robust training and career pathway program for site supervisors, equipping them to mentor and support behavioral health trainees effectively. The project team will regularly engage with trainees and site supervisors to refine didactic and experiential training processes and content, discuss trainee progress, and respond to any challenges. This ongoing, multilevel dialogue will create a collaborative training environment to support trainee growth and development and ensure trainees successfully transition into the behavioral health professional workforce. As trainees approach the completion of their training, CASR will offer career development workshops that encourage them to pursue state/industry-recognized certifications and secure employment in settings with SUD professional workforce shortages. To support the increased likelihood of job placement, CASR will specifically target training sites with SUD professional workforce shortages. This approach will provide partner organizations with enhanced personnel capacity to address immediate staffing needs and will pair trainees with potential future employers. Follow-up data will be collected one year after program completion to track trainee employment status and practice location. Key measurable objectives include 1) establish relationships with five community-based experiential training partner sites in high-need and high-demand areas, 2) develop integrated didactic and experiential training opportunities in interprofessional primary care settings, 3) enhance evidence-based interprofessional training programs for faculty and field site supervisors, 4) promote technology integration to improve digital health literacy, 5) recruit trainees from diverse racial, ethnic, and class backgrounds who are interested in working with children, adolescents, and young adults, and 6) recruit and support trainees pursuing clinical supervision roles to mentor behavioral health professionals. CASR requests funding priority preference under Priority 1, Preference Qualification 1, and Preference Qualification 2. This project represents a significant step toward addressing behavioral health workforce shortages and expanding access to high-quality, culturally responsive care in underserved communities.
