Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program - Wright State University’s (WSU) Workforce Wellbeing Initiative will increase the number of qualified mental health professionals in the Greater Dayton, Ohio region by providing 12 Master’s or Doctorate level Social Work and Counselor students with paid experiential internships per year for 4 years, for a total of 48 student internships by the end of the project period. The project will provide stipend support for student interns in their final training period prior to graduating from behavioral health degree programs in counseling and social work. The project offers extensive experiential and didactic training activities through placement as an intern in a community behavioral health provider organization for 6 months for full-time students or 12 months for part-time. WSU’s College of Health, Education, and Human Services (CHEH) has partnered with a diverse group of community providers who are providing experiential placement sites for trainees: Dayton Children’s Hospital, Wright State Physicians, Five Rivers Health Centers, Primary Health Solutions, Rocking Horse Community Health Center, and Kettering Behavioral Health. These partners serve children, youth, and young adults in low income, high need, and high demand communities by integrating behavioral health and primary care services. Additionally, the Greater Dayton Hospital Association (GDAHA), will provide technical assistance by collecting and analyzing hospital data to improve care delivery in the Greater Dayton area. These partners and other key stakeholders will serve on the project’s Advisory Committee to advise on and oversee project implementation. We are requesting funding preference under Qualification 1: Serving Rural and Underserved Communities. The Workforce Wellbeing Initiative aligns with HRSA’s priorities to expand and enhance behavioral health education and training opportunities in rural and underserved areas, with a specific focus on Montgomery and Greene Counties in southwest Ohio. According to HRSA’s HPSA database, these regions face significant shortages of behavioral health providers, particularly for low-income, minority, and rural populations. The Ohio Department of Health’s data indicates: • A shortage of licensed mental health counselors and clinical social workers in both counties. • Increased prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders, exacerbated by the opioid epidemic. • Limited access to culturally competent care for historically marginalized populations, including African Americans, Hispanic/Latino communities, and Appalachian populations. The project focuses on recruiting trainees from rural and underserved areas and includes assistance with job placement after graduation. Additional project activities include monthly Experiential and Didactic Learning Group meetings and opportunities for interprofessional training across disciplines such as social work, counseling, psychology, and nursing. All trainees will complete training on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, integrated models of care, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, suicide prevention and intervention, HIPAA and 42 CFR compliance and confidentiality, family therapy models, telehealth, ethics, and Cultural and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS). Training opportunities will be provided in person, virtually, and in hybrid formats to accommodate diverse schedules. Additionally, interprofessional meetings and a peer mentoring program will support student interns along their career journeys. The project will also offer professional development training for faculty and field supervisors to increase the number of qualified clinical supervisors to student interns. Stipends will be provided to support the clinical supervisors. Key staff for the project include a Project Director and Principal Evaluator, with supporting staff including a Co-Evaluator, Behavioral Health Workforce Liaison, and two Field Education Directors.
