The Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges & Universities (The Alliance) is pleased to share that three of its membership have received substantial grant funding from The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to help increase capacity and diversity in the state’s mental health workforce.
- Bushnell University received an $838,500 grant from OHA. This grant will support the University’s emphasis on advancing mental health education and making a positive impact on the community. Selected full-time students enrolled in Bushnell’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program will receive annual tuition assistance of up to $15,000, along with stipends of up to $1,500, over a two-year grant period.
- Lewis & Clark’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling received a transformative grant of $500,000 from OHA to diversify the behavioral health workforce. Lewis & Clark will use these funds to provide substantial scholarships to graduate students who, as practitioners, will increase access to culturally specific and culturally responsive services for people of color, tribal communities, and individuals who have experienced barriers accessing mental health services.
- Pacific University received $1.8 million from the OHA. The grant will provide tuition assistance and stipends to students in the university’s Master of Social Work program and the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology.
These grants are part of $60 million allocated to the OHA by the Oregon legislature as part of the Behavioral Health Workforce Initiative. The program aims to increase and diversify Oregon’s behavioral health workforce through scholarships, loan repayment, retention and peer workforce development, and through clinical supervision grants.
According to The Alliance’s recent economic impact report, the activities of its member institutions and their alumni in the health care and social assistance industry sector supported 4,890 jobs in Oregon during fiscal year 2020-21. The funding received by Bushnell University, Lewis & Clark College, and Pacific University is a pivotal step towards strengthening Oregon’s mental health care system. With increased access to financial support, diverse students are empowered to pursue and complete essential degrees in clinical mental health counseling, social work, and clinical psychology, ensuring a future workforce that reflects and serves the vibrant communities within the state. This investment in education not only fosters individual success, but also paves the way for culturally competent and readily available mental health services for all Oregonians. The future of mental health care in Oregon looks brighter, thanks to the combined efforts of The Alliance, its member institutions, and the OHA.
About The Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities (The Alliance) The Alliance is comprised of 12 private, nonprofit, independent colleges and universities. These institutions deliver high-quality experiential learning with high-impact teaching strategies. The Alliance is the collective voice of private, nonprofit education in public policy advocacy.
