DAYTON — Wright State University is launching the Workforce Wellbeing Initiative to address the growing demand for mental health services in underserved communities.
Funded by a four-year $2.4 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the initiative will place graduate students in clinical internships serving children, adolescents, and young adults in rural and medically underserved areas.
“The purpose of the program is to increase the number of professionally trained behavioral health providers in the Greater Dayton area,” said Barb Marsh, D.S.W., director of Counseling and Wellness Services at Wright State.
Developed by Wright State’s College of Health, Education, and Human Services in partnership with Counseling and Wellness Services, the initiative responds to critical provider shortages and mental health disparities across Ohio.
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The initiative builds on Wright State’s long-standing relationships with regional behavioral health providers, collaborating with partner agencies such as the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, Dayton Children’s Hospital, and Five Rivers Health Centers.
Starting in fall 2025, Wright State will place 12 master’s-level interns with partner organizations each year for four years.
Ohio currently meets just 30% of its mental health care needs based on population, making it one of the states with the highest provider shortages.
In 2022, fewer than 70% of mental health clients in Ohio received treatment within 14 days of their initial assessment, and the state recorded higher-than-average rates of suicide and unintentional drug overdose.
With the Workforce Wellbeing Initiative, Wright State University aims to significantly increase access to mental health services in underserved areas, addressing urgent needs in Ohio’s behavioral health landscape.
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