Harrisonburg, Virginia — Cost-free continuing education and learning for behavioral health and fitness providers throughout Virginia is now staying supplied by James Madison College. 

Subjects covered by the on the internet education consist of integrative behavioral overall health, interprofessional workforce-based mostly trauma informed care, and rural health and can be accessed on the graduate psychology web-site. 

The instruction was geared up with funding from a $1.6 million grant from the federal Health Means and Solutions Administration. 

“This is a single of our strategic goals to present sources to under-resourced and rural behavioral overall health treatment experts,” claimed Amanda Evans, director of the job. 

In addition to the education materials, behavioral overall health suppliers in several counties in central Virginia are obtaining a assisting hand from JMU graduate psychology learners in excess of the upcoming three many years. 

The master’s and Ed.S. diploma students, who began functioning in universities and clinics final year, get stipends from the grant as they coach and offer assistance to neighborhood-based associates in Augusta, Greene, Louisa, Web page, Rockingham, Rockbridge and Shenandoah counties. 

Evans explained the pupils work as clinical interns in rural counseling centers and educational institutions in the plan she and co-administrators Kelly Atwood, Tammy Gilligan and Michele Kielty dubbed Rural Interdisciplinary Company and Training: Limitless Potential (Rise-UP). 

Above the 4 years of the grant, the learners ­­— who are learning to be clinical psychological wellbeing counselors, school counselors or college psychologists ­­— will deliver 12,900 hours of clinical providers in a lot more various counties that are categorised as Wellbeing Qualified Shortage Areas, explained Robin Anderson, head of graduate psychology. 

“It’s a fantastic earn-get,” Anderson said. “Students often have to do these training ordeals without having payment. Now they are having schooling in the substantial-want regions and giving loads of hours of provider to the counties.” 

Anderson reported she hopes the software also encourages students to search for get the job done in rural areas upon graduation. 

The revenue will come from HRSA’s Behavioral Wellbeing Workforce Education and learning and Schooling Method. 

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