Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students - The proposed HRSA Behavioral Health Scholar program will enhance behavioral health education and employment opportunities for students from economically, educationally, and environmentally disadvantaged backgrounds by supporting their pursuit of a Master of Social Work (MSW) at UNC Charlotte. Approximately 60% of MSW students at UNC Charlotte meet the criteria for economic disadvantage, highlighting a significant need for financial support and tailored programming. The program aims to increase the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of students from disadvantaged backgrounds while preparing them for careers in primary behavioral healthcare in rural, Tribal, and other medically vulnerable communities (MVCs). Through scholarships, specialized training, experiential learning, advising, and workforce development strategies, the program will strengthen the behavioral health workforce and improve access to care in MVCs. For early career behavioral healthcare professionals, an MSW provides access to a high-demand career with strong opportunities for employment, advancement, and community impact. A more diverse social work workforce also enhances access to mental health services, particularly in MVCs and with medically vulnerable populations. The proposed program has three primary objectives: 1) increase enrollment and retention of full-time students from disadvantaged backgrounds; 2) increase the number of graduates practicing in primary care; and 3) increase the number of graduates working in rural, Tribal, and other MVCs. To attain these objectives, the program will utilize a systemic, data-driven approach to prioritize students demonstrating the greatest financial need, described in the funding disbursement strategy, and award scholarships to 40 full-time students annually. The program will also provide specialized curriculum, advising, and experiential learning opportunities focused on primary behavioral healthcare in MVCs. Behavioral health scholars will receive exposure to workforce opportunities through practicum placements and annual job fairs with primary behavioral healthcare organizations in rural, Tribal, and other MVCs. By reducing financial barriers for disadvantaged students to attain their MSW degree and providing specialized curriculum, the HRSA Behavioral Health Scholars Program will prepare students to have impactful careers in MVCs. Expected outcomes of the program include retaining 95% of scholars through degree completion, and ensuring at least 50% of graduates are working in primary behavioral healthcare and in MVCs within 6- and 12-months of graduation. To support the evaluation of workforce outcomes, the program has established procedures to track graduates through the National Provider Identifier database to determine the proportion of scholarship recipients practicing in primary care and serving rural, Tribal, and other MVCs. The MSW program at UNC Charlotte has a strong record of recruiting, retaining, and graduating students from disadvantaged backgrounds. HRSA funding will build upon these successes by reducing the economic burden, enhancing specialized training, and enabling students to focus on developing the competencies needed to address behavioral health workforce shortages.
