COLUMBUS, OH -- As part of Ohio’s ongoing efforts to recruit more professionals into the mental healthcare field, Governor Mike DeWine on Sep 20th, announced a new workforce incentive program for college graduates who commit to working at one of Ohio’s Community Behavioral Health Centers (CBHCs) for at least one year.

“The demand for mental healthcare services is growing twice as fast as the size of the mental healthcare workforce,” said Governor DeWine. “It is critical that we incentivize more of our best and brightest young minds to launch their careers in these fields so we can help our most vulnerable Ohioans receive the support they need to reach their full potential.”

Through the new Great Minds Fellowship Workforce Commitment Incentive Program, recent graduates can apply to potentially receive as much as $20,000 in grant funding if they commit to working at a CBHC in Ohio for at least one year of full-time employment. The amount of funding per successful applicant is subject to availability. Funds can be used to help graduates cover costs related to their education.

The new Workforce Commitment Incentive Program will now make Great Minds Fellowship funding accessible to recent college graduates. Previously, Great Minds Fellowship grants were available only to active college students.

To qualify for the new Workforce Commitment Incentive Program, applicants must have graduated or received certification in or after May 2023 from one of the following types of academic programs: mental health counseling, psychiatric and mental health nursing, substance abuse/addiction counseling, social work, or marriage and family counseling. Applicants also must be employed or have an offer of employment for a clinical position at an eligible CBHC with a start date no later than January 6, 2025.

A list of eligible CBHCs, full eligibility requirements, and other frequently asked questions are available now at https://highered.ohio.gov/GreatMindsWCIP.

Applications will be available on the program webpage beginning October 1, 2024, and the application period will close on November 15, 2024.

Workforce Commitment Incentive Program webpage

The Great Minds Fellowship is led by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS).

Created by Governor DeWine with the support of the Ohio General Assembly, the aim of the initiative is to incentivize college students to pursue careers in behavioral health fields like social work, therapy, counseling, and psychiatric and mental health nursing. The new Workforce Commitment Incentive Program expands on this important work.

A 2021 study, conducted in part by OhioMHAS, found that the demand for behavioral healthcare services in Ohio increased 353% from 2013 to 2019, while the workforce increased only 174% over the same time period. Demand for behavioral healthcare services is expected to continue increasing by an average of 5.6% each year for the next decade, which means the workforce would need to increase by approximately 9.8% each year to keep up with the rising demand.

“The aim of our new workforce incentive program is to shrink this gap by building a strong pipeline of behavioral health professionals here in Ohio,” said ODHE Chancellor Mike Duffey. “This new program will help our graduates in behavioral healthcare start off on the right foot for a rewarding career and will also help Ohioans benefit from better access to mental health supports. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

“Ohioans in crisis or who are seeking help with substance use disorder shouldn’t have to wait for care. Yet, on Sep 20th, an estimated 2.4 million Ohioans live in communities without enough behavioral health professionals,” said OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn. “The health and success of Ohio’s families and communities depend on an effective strategy to recruit and retain more people into this high-demand field, and this new program is among several steps we’ve taken in that direction under the Governor’s leadership.”

The new Great Minds Fellowship Workforce Commitment Incentive Program is part of Ohio’s multi-pronged approach to recruit and retain behavioral health professionals. Click here to read more about other similar initiatives currently underway in Ohio.