CHICO — In an effort to fill vacancies in the behavioral health care industry, California is offering up to $25,000 per year in scholarships in exchange for working one year in behavioral health care service in underserved areas.

The Behavioral Health Scholarship Program by the Department of Health Care Access and Information aims to increase the number of trained behavioral health professionals. Applications for 2023-24 opened April 15 and will close Aug. 15.

The scholarship is a needed move towards addressing vacancy rates of 20-40% in many counties’ behavioral health departments, said Butte County Behavioral Health Director Scott Kennelly.

“Pretty much anyone who provides mental health services post-COVID is facing workforce shortages,” he said.

Kennelly said Butte County Behavioral Health had a 30% vacancy rate beginning in 2023 and is now around 22%, but with continued shortages of therapists, doctors, nurses, and drug and alcohol counselors.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, a large portion of the behavioral health care workforce retired or transitioned into remote work, he said. The county is now looking to rebuild that workforce with in-person care.

“The smaller counties are having tremendous trouble attracting people, but even some of the larger counties are struggling. This scholarship is one of the things the state is putting forth to help rebuild the workforce,” Kennelly said.

Aid

The scholarship details reimbursement of tuition, on-campus housing and allowances for school supplies and other fees up to $25,000 and can be awarded multiple times by accepting adding one year of work commitment per award.

Kennelly said applicants can be right out of high school and may use the scholarship for a two-year, four-year and masters degrees — with the potential of graduating college debt free.

Eligible professions for the scholarship include therapy, psychiatry, psychology, counseling, nursing, peer support and others. The 12-month service obligation can be completed at county behavioral health departments, nonprofits, schools or other behavioral health programs.

Information about the scholarship may be found at buttecounty.net/387/Workforce-Resources.

Aside from this scholarship, many local and state programs are actively seeking to train and bring behavioral health professionals to rural areas.