The Health Resources and Services Administration announced a new opportunity this week, titled Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) for Paraprofessionals and Professionals. The purpose of this program is to develop and expand the substance abuse and mental health workforce serving children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth at risk for developing or who have a recognized behavioral health disorder. Eligible applicants are:
- Behavioral paraprofessional certificate training programs; and peer paraprofessional certificate training programs;
- Accredited master-level schools and programs of psychology, marriage and family therapy, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, counselors, including licensed professional counselors and school counselors. Programs must require a pre-degree clinical field placement in behavioral health as part of the training and a prerequisite for graduation; and
- American Psychological Association (APA) accredited doctoral-level internships in health service psychology.
Funds will support paraprofessional students through the provision of tuition, fees, and supplies to complete a certificate program in a behavioral health-related paraprofessional field. Funds to professional grant recipients must be used for stipend support for no less than six months and no more than 12 months of experiential training (internship or field placement).
HRSA anticipates awarding approximately 26 grants of up to $300,000 each for the one-year project period (September 30, 2016 through September 29, 2017). Applications are due July 1, 2016.
