JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (WBRC) – Jacksonville State University’s (JSU) Department of Social Work has received a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to launch a new rural trauma-informed behavioral health workforce education and training program.
The grant gives the university $2.4 million to craft the initiative, which the university says will help address Alabama’s mental health workforce shortage by preparing master’s in social work students to serve in high-need rural communities.
“From the very beginning, our mission in launching this program was clear, to help build a stronger behavioral health workforce in Alabama’s rural communities,” said Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Maureen Newton. “This has been our passion and focus from day one, and we’re thrilled to now have the opportunity to expand that vision through this grant.”
The project will reportedly provide scholarships and stipends to 48 students working to obtain their master’s in social work over the course of four years. Officials say this will support the specialized training needed to build a “robust, trauma-informed behavioral workforce equipped to serve Alabama’s most underserved populations.”
Per JSU, Alabama faces a severe shortage in behavioral health workforce members, especially in rural communities where access to timely, specialized care can often be limited. High poverty rates, lack of trauma-informed services and significant barriers are also cited as factors.
Some other factors of the initiative include what JSU calls the “Center for Best Practices in Rural Behavioral Health,” and “Rural Behavioral Health Collaborative.”
The center will reportedly serve as a regional hub for training, continuing education, trauma-informed certification and supervision. JSU officials say the center will train over 1,600 professionals during the grant period by offering social work supervision, clinical and non-clinical certifications, telehealth training and other professional development opportunities.
The collaborative will reportedly develop what JSU calls a “rural trauma-informed toolkit”, host networking events and offer mentorship and licensure exam preparation.
JSU officials say the program will also address challenges these students may face in the workforce such as burnout and instability.
“With a network of more than 140 behavioral health partners across 26 Alabama counties and 10 counties in Georgia, the program is uniquely positioned to address regional disparities in access to care and create long-term impact across the Southeast,” wrote JSU officials.
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