MARIETTA— Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO) students looking to make a difference and contribute to growing Ohio’s behavioral healthcare workforce are eligible for a grant valued up to $10,000 from the Ohio Wellness Workforce Great Minds Fellowship.
Through the Ohio Wellness Workforce Great Minds Fellowship, WSCO was allocated $85,510 by the state to distribute to its students who are enrolled in one of its social services or chemical dependency counseling programs.
The Great Minds Fellowship is a state-wide initiative to support Ohio’s efforts to stabilize and sustain the behavioral healthcare workforce. At Ohio’s two-year and four-year institutions, the fellowship is available to students who are within two years of graduating with a degree or certificate in social work, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, psychiatric/mental health nursing, and substance abuse/addiction counseling.
WSCO Social Services Instructor Stacy Smith explained that eligibility hinges on a student’s willingness to agree to a practicum or internship at an eligible participating institution and work at least one year post-graduation at an eligible participating institution. Funding is only available through March of 2025.
“These grant funds are for students who are within two years of completing a short-term credential or associate degree,” said Smith. “They can use the funds for wrap-around support for them to offset any expense that’s associated with earning either their social services or chemical dependency counseling degrees.” Examples of appropriate use of the money include tuition, books, licensure testing, and expenses related to their internship, such as gas cards and childcare.
The funding for The Great Minds Fellowship is a result of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Ohio General Assembly’s approval for the State to invest federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to boost the number of qualified professionals trained to work in the behavioral healthcare.
For more information about the Ohio Wellness Workforce Great Minds Fellowship at WSCO and the application process, contact Stacy Smith at 740.885.5624 or ssmith1@wscc.edu. Application deadline is Oct. 6.
