Congratulations! Principal Investigator Dr. Rachel Gartner, MSW, PhD, has received a $2.3 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to launch the Youth Behavioral Health Workforce Fellowship.
Approximately one in five young people have a current, diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition, yet more than half of youth with a treatable mental health disorder do not receive treatment. The Fellowship serves as a didactic and experiential educational program aimed at increasing the Masters of Social Workers (MSWs) workforce equipped to address the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth in high need and high demand areas.
Each year, the Fellowship will provide $25,000 stipends and specialized training to 14 second year/advanced standing direct practice MSW students, equipping them with the skills needed to serve in high-need and underserved communities. Fellows will complete interprofessional practicum placements in integrated healthcare, school-based, and community mental health settings and engage in enhanced didactic learning focused on youth behavioral health prevention and intervention.
Over four years, the program will train 56 MSW students, expand practicum partnerships across the region, and offer CEU-eligible professional development to supervisors, providers and faculty working with youth populations.
“I’m really proud of the opportunity this offers our school and our students,” said Dr. Gartner. “It means a great deal to lead a project that builds capacity in our region and supports the next generation of social workers.”
The Fellowship is a part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work’s commitment to building a stronger, more equitable behavioral health workforce, one that is better prepared to respond to the complex realities facing today’s youth.