Interdisciplinary Behavioral Health Collaborative (IBHC)
Interdisciplinary Behavioral Health Collaborative (IBHC) Project
Apply for a $10,000 stipend!
Integrated Behavioral Health Equity Project
Since 2017, the MSW Program and the College of Graduate and Continuing Education have received $2.8 million in grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program to prepare social workers to meet the workforce demand for integrated behavioral health clinicians in medically underserved areas with the goal of increasing health equity. As a state institution founded on inclusivity, the WSU MSW Program continues this legacy and is proud to help address the mental health professional shortages in our area.
We have also completed online training modules (click below to gain access) with free CEUs for social workers and nurses, and closed captioning. Through HRSA-BHWET funding, we have provided over 7,000 CEUs and certificates of completions.
Preparing Social Work Students
The IBH project provides training on working in team-based care in integrated settings and competitively awards $10,000 training stipends to 24 MSW students each year at WSU. Students selected into the IBH Project Fellowship receive comprehensive education in both classroom and field settings providing integrated behavioral healthcare while addressing social determinants of health. IBH Fellows gain the professional competencies outlined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative and the Council on Social Work Education.
Strong Community Partners
The IBH Project has developed partnerships with a diverse group of community agencies to host IBH Fellows in completing these specialized MSW Advanced Internships. Practice settings include: major medical centers, outpatient clinics, behavioral health hospitals, community-based healthcare organizations, and programs addressing substance use and addictions. To assist our partners in further developing their integrated behavioral health work, they receive access to:
- Online training modules
- Complimentary continuing education units
- The IBHC Annual Clinical Conference
IBHC Annual Clinical Conference
Hosted jointly by the IBHC and Social Work Practicum Education, this annual conference brings together social work professionals for a day long intensive. Each spring the conference focuses on topics related to holistic practice across social work settings, such as: foundation knowledge about social determinants of health; trauma and addiction; integrated behavioral health within primary care practice; collaborations with law enforcement; and team-based care within schools.
IBHC Team Contact
Nora Padykula, Ph.D., IBHC Project Director npadykula@westfield.ma.edu (413-572-8239)
Lindsay Cyr, B.A., IBHC Project Graduate Assistant lcyr9371@westfield.ma.edu
This Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Grant is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant # 2 M01HP31395‐05‐00 for $1,509,647.00, entitled the Integrative Behavioral Health Equity Project. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.