NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is pleased to announce the opening of applications for a new multi-million dollar behavioral health scholarship program.
Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathways Scholarships are designed to help the next generation of professionals pursuing careers in mental health and substance use treatment obtain the advanced degree they need to begin their journey.
Eligible students can pay up to $15,000 in tuition per academic year for up to two years to earn a master's degree in a field that includes counseling, psychiatric nursing, social work, psychology, or similar behavioral health professions. You can receive assistance. In exchange for tuition assistance, students must commit to working for a public behavioral health provider for the same period of time that they received the scholarship.
Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly have allocated $3 million for a scholarship program to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. TDMHSAS partners with the Tennessee Association of Alcohol Drug and Other Addiction Services (TAADAS) and the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) to administer the scholarships and ensure that graduates fulfill their obligations to public service. do my best.
“We know that this work is extremely meaningful to the people who work in it. The generation of young people currently in school want to be supported, and with the support of this scholarship, They will be able to pursue fulfilling careers in behavioral health without the burden of graduate school debt,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. . “We are very grateful to our partners at TAMHO and TAADAS for working on this program, and we look forward to seeing the impact these amazing students 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 profession. We encourage schools that direct students to seek scholarships and encourage their staff to do the same.” “Thanks to our TAADAS member institutions, we've seen a spike in applications in just a few weeks. This is a win-win for students, community institutions, and Tennesseans who need behavioral health care.” said Mary Linden Salter, TAADAS Executive Director.
“TAMHO and its association members are very excited to support this scholarship effort and are grateful to the next generation of behavioral health professionals who are committed to serving the people of Tennessee. Governor Bill Lee, the Tennessee General Assembly, TDMHSAS, and TennCare have done great work to address public behavioral health workforce issues in the short term through rate increases and retention bonuses. This scholarship With the program, we are putting our state on track for long-term solutions to the sector's most pressing problems,” said TAMHO Executive Director Alicia Smith-Knight.
A $3 million investment in state funds for Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathway Scholarships is the latest investment by Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly to support the workforce needs of the state's public behavioral health system. It's just that. Other investments include:
- Provides $50 million in one-time funding for mental health services and health worker bonuses.
- One-time funding of $12.1 million for sign-on and retention bonuses.
- Added $36 million in recurring provider rate increases for state fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Governor Lee's FY25 budget proposal for TDMHSAS includes his additional $6.4 million.
- Additional investment by TennCare
Learn more about our scholarships and apply using this link.
