LYNN — North Shore Community College has received a $810,000 federal grant to fund training for behavioral health paraprofessionals in partnership with regional employers.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), who facilitated this funding opportunity, announced Thursday that the grant will be provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over four years. The goal of the funding is to increase the number of behavioral health paraprofessionals in the regional workforce, who will be able to perform as coaches, aides or employees at substance-abuse agencies without all the qualifications or licenses that professionals need.
“One of my top priorities in Congress is expanding access to mental and behavioral health care and ending the stigma around it, but none of this is possible if we don’t have more Americans going into these careers,” said Moulton. “I can’t wait to meet the students.”
NSCC will receive $130,361 in the first year to fund tuition, fees and stipend incentives for students to gain access to post-secondary education and enter the workforce. To ensure the success of the program, NSCC will collaborate with community stakeholders including schools, nonprofit organizations and mental health providers.
The training program will include field placements and coursework in substance and opioid use disorder treatment and prevention.
“This funding is critical as it will ease the tuition burden on students, improve educational access, and contribute to the workforce expansion of educated human services workers that are needed to serve our community,” said NSCC President Dr. William Heineman.
Existing Human Services Certificate programs will incorporate specialized credit-based coursework in substance use disorder and addiction, as NSCC’s primary service area has both significant opioid and substance abuse issues and high demand for workers trained in behavioral health and areas impacting behavioral health, such as developmental disabilities.
Students will be able to earn certificate and/or associate-degree credentials with additional opportunity to transfer credits to a four-year institution.
“We know from our students that they are excited to have more training and this opportunity to earn the stackable credentials that this grant is targeting,” said Heineman.
The program will increase the number of program completers, improve the quality of the behavioral health workforce, and expand and improve access to quality treatment. It will launch this month led by Erinn Gilmore, Ed.S., program chair for NSCC’s Developmental Disabilities certificate and associate-degree program.
NSCC was previously awarded two grants from the Department of Health and Human Services for its Opioid Workforce Expansion Program and Opioid Impacted Family Support Program. Both provide tuition assistance, apprenticeship and stipends to students obtaining certificates and degrees in these human services pathways.
Alena Kuzub can be reached at [email protected].
