Pittsburgh, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones announced how the Shapiro Administration’s $1 million investment to address the shortage of qualified substance use disorder (SUD) professionals within Pennsylvania’s behavioral health workforce is putting Carlow University graduate students on a career path to work in the SUD field immediately upon graduating.
Funded by DDAP through opioid settlement dollars secured for the Commonwealth by Governor Josh Shapiro when he was Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, the program supports recruitment and retention of behavioral health professionals by providing financial assistance for participating students’ educational expenses. At its core, this initiative is designed to strengthen the SUD workforce pipeline by financially supporting master’s-level students pursuing an SUD counseling career.
“A strong SUD treatment system depends on a strong workforce. That's why the Shapiro Administration is focused on addressing behavioral health workforce shortages, reducing administrative burdens, and supporting the dedicated professionals who deliver care every day,” said Secretary Davis-Jones. “It’s not enough to recruit the next generation of behavioral health professionals. We must also give them reasons to stay. Our partnership with Carlow University is an important step toward building the skilled, committed workforce Pennsylvania needs.”
The students who participate in this pilot program will graduate with a master’s degree and meet the qualification for the position of a counselor in the Commonwealth – allowing them to immediately provide treatment to individuals who have SUD.
Creating a Direct Path from Education to Employment
Carlow University is implementing the program – called the Addiction Counseling Workforce Impact Project (AC-WIP) - within their Master of Science in Professional Counseling Program. Through AC-WIP, students gain specialized competencies in evidence-based treatment approaches, ethical practice, and trauma-informed care, ensuring they are ready to meet complex service recipients’ needs from day one.
“The AC-WIP program has increased student interest in the addiction field, given students access to advanced trainings, created opportunities for students to present at professional events and hold leadership roles, and provided students with an avenue to serve and advocate for the community,” said Carlow University Professional Counseling Programs Director Dr. Fawn Robinson. “AC-WIP is making a difference in the students' lives while the students' are making a difference in the community.”
Through DDAP funding, Carlow University is offering tuition assistance, a stipend during the students’ practicum/internship with a community-based treatment provider, and additional SUD-related trainings offered by DDAP.
Specifically, participants:
- May receive up to $27,600 in tuition assistance and $4,400 in stipends across five semesters;
- Must complete DDAP trainings including how to do SUD screenings and assessments, develop case management skills, and implement evidence-based practices and interventions; and,
- Must commit to three years of post-graduate employment at a DDAP-approved treatment facility in Pennsylvania, particularly in underserved and underrepresented areas.
Carlow University is one of only two higher education institutions in Pennsylvania accredited by the national Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) in the specialty of addictions counseling at the master’s degree level – a distinction that laid the foundation for the partnership with DDAP.
Waynesburg University is the other Pennsylvania higher education institution accredited by CACREP and is also piloting a similar program with DDAP within their graduate-level courses.
Recruitment and Retention Results
Since the start of Carlow University’s program:
- Enrollment in their Master of Science in Professional Counseling Program increased more than 77 percent;
- Nearly 25 students have enrolled in the program - 20 are current master’s-level students;
- Thirteen students completed their clinical fieldwork at a DDAP-licensed inpatient and/or outpatient treatment facility; and
- Three graduates of the program began working in the field within six months of graduating.
“When this program was announced, I realized I wanted to be better prepared to support future clients, and through my internship, I've discovered how much I love this work,” said Karyssa Blair, Carlow University student. “I am incredibly grateful that I get to continue being part of such meaningful change and healing.”
“Investing in addiction counselor education doesn't just strengthen the workforce, it creates opportunities for clinicians to discover where they can make a difference, and for that impact to extend beyond the individual, to families and communities,” said Carlow University alumni Abbey Sandberg, MS, LAPC, NCC.
“Getting Stuff Done” for the SUD Workforce
The goals of this pilot program align with Governor Shapiro’s Behavioral Health Council Action Plan which provides new pathways to increase and improve the quality and accessibility of Pennsylvania’s behavioral health care system.
In addition, since day one, the Shapiro Administration has prioritized investments in Pennsylvania’s SUD workforces by awarding about $40 million to retain professionals working in Pennsylvania’s drug and alcohol field through DDAP’s student loan repayment program.
More information on the Shapiro Administration’s behavioral health efforts is available at pa.gov.
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