Students at five Central Massachusetts colleges and universities now have access to $25 million to support their behavioral health educations as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts enters into the second year of its Behavioral Health Workforce Scholarship Program.
Along with the state as a whole, Central Massachusetts has been working to combat its own mental health crisis, with more than 50% of its emergency department beds filled by behavioral health patients this past spring.
The state’s program aims to combat that crisis by bolstering the state’s behavioral health workforce.
The scholarship program consists of $12.5 million in scholarships for graduate students earning degrees and certificates in behavioral health fields and $12.5 million for colleges and universities to independently disperse to students participating in unpaid behavioral health internships and field placements, according to a Wednesday press release from the Office of Gov. Maura Healey.
Of the 39 institutions eligible for the initiative, five in Central Massachusetts made the cut with eligible behavioral health programs, according to the program’s website. Eligible programs include those in social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, and psychoanalysis.
Qualifying local institutions are below:
- Anna Maria College, in Paxton
- Assumption University, in Worcester
- Fitchburg State University
- Framingham State University
- Worcester State University
Selected students within the scholarship program can receive up to $12,500 each academic year for tuition, fees, and stipends. Students may participate in the program for a maximum of two academic years, receiving up to a total of $25,000. In exchange, awarded students must commit to work within the state for up to two years.
“We need to strengthen our behavioral health workforce in Massachusetts so our residents can get the care they need, and these investments support students dedicating their time and talent into entering this field,” Healey said in the release. “These scholarships and internship stipends benefit students and the members of our communities that they’ll serve.”
Applications for scholarships are due by Jan. 20.
This year’s scholarship program offers $5 million more than in its inaugural 2024-2025 academic year, when the state provided $20 million in funding for 977 scholarships and 1,800 stipends.
“We want as many students as possible to be able to access the high-quality behavioral health programs offered by colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth,” Noe Ortega, commissioner of higher education, said in the release “These scholarships and internship stipends will help students earn their degrees and strong start in a crucial helping profession.”
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
