Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) highlighted 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 more than 20 Carlow University graduate students on a career path to work in the SUD field and help their communities 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.
“We know that the SUD field is experiencing challenges related to staffing shortages, administrative burnout, and other issues. Our helpers and healers need support,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis Jones. “This collaboration with Carlow University is one of the Shapiro Administration’s responses to incentivize professionals to get into – and stay in – this field. We are supporting master’s-level students by offering financial assistance while at the same time helping them graduate with qualifications needed to enter the field immediately, making meaningful strides toward recruiting and retaining employees for Pennsylvania’s SUD workforce.”
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.
As a result of participating in this pilot program, upon graduating with a master’s degree, these students will meet the qualification for the position of a counselor in the Commonwealth – allowing them to immediately enter the SUD treatment field.
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.
“AC-WIP is a professional development program where our Masters’ Professional Counseling students engage in specialized trainings, addiction-specific clinical experiences, and leadership development,” said Program Director Dr. Fawn Robinson. “We are helping students enter the counseling field equipped not only to practice counseling but lead within the profession and within the community. Our community outreach and professional development activities for clinicians also support the broader goal of increasing the public’s awareness about treatment for the disease of addiction.”
Specifically, participants:
- May receive up to $27,600 in tuition assistance and $4,400 in stipends across five semesters;
- Must complete 14 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 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:
- 22 students have enrolled in AC-WIP - 19 are current master’s-level students, three are recent graduates who are completing the three-year service commitment;
- Four students are completing their clinical fieldwork at a DDAP-licensed inpatient and/or outpatient treatment facility;
- Six students will start their clinical fieldwork at a DDAP-licensed inpatient and/or outpatient treatment facility in May 2026; and,
- Students have participated in four community service projects.
“What drew me to the AC-WIP program was its combination of specialized training with meaningful community engagement,” said Karyssa Blair, AC-WIP Fellow. “Through coursework, trainings provided by DDAP, and community outreach, I’ve been able to connect what I’m learning to real people and real experiences, which I believe will make me a better counselor for my future clients.”
The goals of this pilot program align with Governor Shapiro’s Executive Order establishing the Pennsylvania Behavioral Health Council, which is bringing together state leaders, local governments, and community providers to develop and recommend to the Governor the implementation of a statewide action plan that addresses how to deliver timely and quality mental health and SUD treatment services.
More information on the Shapiro Administration’s behavioral health efforts is available at pa.gov.
###