West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission awards grants to advance behavioral health education and workforce development

Charleston, WV – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) is proud to announce a series of grant awards aimed at strengthening the behavioral health workforce across the state. These grants fund a variety of innovative educational initiatives designed to address the critical need for well-trained professionals in behavioral health services, particularly in underserved and rural areas of West Virginia.

Funding for these projects totaling $700,000 was made possible by a Congressionally Directed Spending award requested by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito through the U.S. Department of Labor.

“I am incredibly grateful to Senators Manchin and Capito for their support in securing this funding, which is a critical investment in strengthening our state’s behavioral health workforce,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “With this support, we are not only building a stronger workforce, but also ensuring that West Virginians have greater access to the care they need.”

Educational Pipeline Grants

• West Virginia University School of Social Work
  Principal Investigator: Dr. Megan Gandy
  This project leverages virtual reality (VR) technology to create an immersive educational experience that introduces students to careers in behavioral health. The initiative “gamifies” career education, offering a unique way to teach students about the role of social workers in delivering behavioral health services.

• Marshall University Rural Behavioral Health Scholars Program
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Marianna Linz and Dr. Melissa Atkins
  Building on the success of a 2022 project, this program will expand opportunities for students across various disciplines to explore pathways into behavioral health careers. The initiative includes interdisciplinary seminars, hands-on activities, and the creation of a summer module for high school students, aimed at addressing the behavioral health workforce needs in rural areas.

• Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) at West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center
  Principal Investigator: Dr. Catherine Morton
  This initiative targets high school students and teachers from underserved communities, offering enhanced curriculum and professional development opportunities. The program aims to increase knowledge and interest in behavioral health careers through community events, field trips, and research projects.

Paid Internship Grants

• Marshall University Graduate Departments of Counseling and Social Work
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Jerry Dooley, Dr. Peggy Proudfoot-Harman, and Dr. Jerica Wesley
  This grant provides stipends for counseling and social work interns, ensuring financial support for students during their clinical internships. The project focuses on students committed to working in high-need areas in West Virginia, addressing the long-term need for quality mental health services.

• Concord University Social Work Program
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Scott Inghram, Dr. Shawn Allen, and Robbin Durham
  The CUPS Project offers stipends to social work students completing advanced practicums in behavioral health settings within high-need areas of West Virginia. This initiative aims to create a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to serve in underserved communities after graduation.

• West Liberty Graduate Clinical Psychology Program (MACP)
  Principal Investigator: Dr. Rebecca Meacham
  This grant addresses the financial challenges faced by students during their clinical practicums by providing stipends that cover tuition, supplies, and living expenses. The initiative aims to reduce stress and increase the successful completion rates of students in the MACP program.

• West Virginia University School of Social Work
  Principal Investigators: Lindsey Rinehart and Dr. Mary Christensen
  This project supports social work students in internships focused on serving rural and underserved populations in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The initiative seeks to prepare students for behavioral health practice throughout West Virginia, particularly in areas with the greatest need.

Credentials Training Grant

• Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery
  Principal Investigator: Dr. Kari Mika-Lude
  This project offers training and supervision opportunities at no cost to empower students and professionals with the necessary skills and credentials to effectively address substance use disorders at the community level.

Tele-Behavioral Health Grants

• West Virginia University School of Social Work
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Megan Gandy and Rebekah Dunaway
  This project offers social work students simulated-based learning experiences in telehealth settings, focusing on vulnerable populations. The initiative enhances students’ skills in providing tele-behavioral health services, with a particular focus on treating patients with agoraphobia.

• Concord University Masters in Social Work Program
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Scott Inghram, Dr. Shawn Allen, and Dr. Samantha Byrd
  The Concord Advanced Telehealth Studies (CATS) project integrates telehealth content into the existing curriculum and develops new elective courses focused on telehealth services in rural areas. This initiative prepares students to deliver tele-behavioral health services in underserved areas across West Virginia.

• Marshall University
  Principal Investigator: Dr. Eric Beeson
  This project aims to establish West Virginia as a training hub for tele-behavioral health. The initiative includes creating a comprehensive tele-behavioral health training program relevant across various disciplines and treatment settings.

• Mountain Laurel Integrated Healthcare
  Principal Investigators: Donna Cooke, Gina Peck, and Jill Click
  Mountain Laurel Integrated Healthcare will provide specialized telehealth training to nurse practitioners, with a focus on delivering high-quality services in rural areas. This initiative underscores the growing importance of telehealth in addressing behavioral and substance-related health challenges.

These funds are awarded and administered by the Commission’s Health Sciences Division, which works to grow and strengthen the healthcare workforce of the future by promoting equitable access to health and behavioral health sciences education and through supporting research, practice, and policy.

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