Grant Information

The Master of Arts in Counseling department has received two four-year grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program—$1.2 million (2017–2021) and $1.01 million (2021–2025). These grants have provided stipends for internship students serving in rural and medically underserved communities (nearly all internship students in recent years), funding for equipment such as iPads for clinical recording, expanded training opportunities, and more.

In January 2025, the department submitted a grant proposal for a competing continuation of $2.3 million over the next four years (Fall 2025–Spring 2029) and is thrilled to announce that this proposal has been awarded!

Qualifying internship students—U.S. citizens in their final year of training who complete an internship placement in a rural or medically underserved area and intend to continue serving such areas after graduation—will be eligible for a $25,000 stipend, paid quarterly during the final year of training in the EMU Graduate Counseling program. Funding will also be available for conference registration and travel reimbursement for each qualifying student.

Additional ways the HRSA BHWET grant supports qualifying interns:

• Conference registration and travel reimbursement

• Development of partnerships with rural and medically underserved clinical sites in Virginia and nearby West Virginia counties

• Development of partnerships with school-based health centers

• Funding for trainings on telehealth, integration of behavioral health into primary care, and trauma-informed care