Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals - Project Title: Pathways to Paraprofessional Excellence: A Joint Initiative for Behavioral Health Workforce Development Applicant Organization: MGH Institute of Health Professions Partner Organization: McLean Hospital Project Director: Reamer Bushardt, PharmD, PA-C, DFAAPA Email: RBushardt@mghihp.edu Phone: 617-726-8008 Project Period: 09/01/2025 – 08/31/2029 Program Type: Level 1 – Pre-service Paraprofessional Training Program Funding Priority and Preference are requested under Funding Priority 1 (Role of the family and the lived experience of the consumer and family paraprofessional partnership) and Funding Preference Qualification 3 (based on 5 of the criteria as described in Attachment 8) The MGH Institute of Health Professions (MGH IHP), in partnership with McLean Hospital (McLean), proposes Pathways to Paraprofessional Excellence, a structured Level 1 pre-service training program to expand and the behavioral health paraprofessional workforce. Designed to address workforce shortages, the initiative focuses on peer support specialists, recovery coaches, and entry-level mental health workers prepared to serve in high-need and designated communities (e.g., MUA, HPSA, Rural), especially those supporting children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth (TAY) with trauma or behavioral health conditions. This hybrid training program will enroll approximately 18 participants per year, offering a 26- to 50-week experience (full- or part-time) through a competency-based curriculum that includes didactic instruction, simulation-based training, supervised fieldwork, and career readiness coaching. The curriculum is embedded in two 3-credit undergraduate practicum courses, allowing trainees to earn college credit and advance toward future degrees. Trainees will be equipped with trauma-informed, culturally responsive and other care skills, aligned with the National CLAS Standards and HRSA priorities. Each participant will receive a $6,000 stipend to offset training-related expenses and promote retention. The proposed initiative qualifies for HRSA funding priority and preference; notably, this new program integrates the role of family and lived experience of the consumer and family paraprofessional partnership. The project offers evidence-based design, wraparound academic and wellness supports, near-peer mentoring, and interprofessional education aligned with IPEC competencies. The program partners with pipeline initiatives, including the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, Mass General Brigham Youth Programs, community colleges, and adult education centers, to recruit qualified individuals for behavioral health paraprofessional training and mentorship. The project also immerses trainees in high-need communities that are served by our health system and clinical partner organizations. Graduates will experience a variety of clinical and community-based behavioral healthcare settings—including Mass General Brigham affiliate sites, school-based mental health programs, and integrated primary care centers—in areas designated as Mental Health HPSA, Primary Care HPSA, MUA, and/or Rural. Evaluation will follow both Rapid Cycle Quality Improvement and apply the Translational Science Benefits Model to assess outcomes and impact. This proposal reflects a scalable, evidence-based training model that responds to urgent community needs. Through engaging partners in recruitment, offering robust mentorship, and producing a workforce need-aligned curricula, the program will reduce service gaps, increase behavioral health system capacity, and elevate the role of paraprofessionals as essential contributors to population mental health.
