NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is happy to announce that functions are open for a brand new, multi-million greenback behavioral well being scholarship program.

The Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathways Scholarship is designed to assist the subsequent era of pros working in psychological well being and substance use remedy careers as they earn the superior levels mandatory to start their journey.

Eligible college students can obtain as much as $15,000 in tuition help per tutorial 12 months for as much as two years as they pursue a grasp’s diploma in fields together with counseling, psychiatric nursing, social work, psychology, or comparable behavioral well being professions.  In return for the schooling assist, college students should decide to working for a public behavioral well being supplier for a similar period of time they had been on scholarship.

Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly appropriated $3 million {dollars} for the scholarship program to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.  TDMHSAS partnered with the Tennessee Association of Alcohol Drug and different Addiction Services (TAADAS) and the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) to manage the scholarship and guarantee graduates meet their dedication for public service.

“We know this work is so meaningful for the people who do it.  The generation of young people that’s in school now wants to help, and with support from this scholarship, they’ll be able to embark on a fulfilling career in behavioral health without the burden of graduate school debt,” mentioned TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW.  “We’re so grateful for our partners at TAMHO and TAADAS for their work on this program, and we’re excited to see the impact that these amazing students will have on the people they serve.”

“TAADAS is honored to be a part of a program that creates a pipeline of new practitioners into the behavioral health workforce.  In just a few weeks, we’ve seen a surge in applications thanks to schools that are directing students to seek scholarships and TAADAS member agencies who are encouraging staff to apply as well. This is a win-win for students, community agencies and the people of Tennessee who need behavioral health care,” mentioned Mary Linden Salter, Executive Director, TAADAS.

“TAMHO and its association members are so excited to support this scholarship initiative and are grateful to the next generation of behavioral health professionals who are committing to serve the people of Tennessee.  Governor Bill Lee, the Tennessee General Assembly, TDMHSAS, and TennCare have done incredible work to address public behavioral health workforce issues in the near term through rate increases and retention bonuses.  With this scholarship program, we’re setting our state on a trajectory for a long-term solution to the most pressing issue in our field,” mentioned TAMHO Executive Director Alysia Smith Knight.

The $3 million funding in state funds for the Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathways Scholarship is simply the newest funding by Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly to assist workforce wants of the state’s public behavioral well being system.  Other investments embrace:

• $50 million in one-time funding for psychological well being companies and bonuses for medical practitioners
• $12.1 million in one-time funding for sign-on and retention bonuses
• $36 million recurring added in state fiscal 12 months 2023 and 2024 for supplier fee will increase.  An extra $6.4 million is included in Governor Lee’s FY25 funds proposal for TDMHSAS.
• Additional investments by TennCare

Learn more about the scholarship and apply at this link.