Behavioral health services are essential in the treatment of mental illness, substance abuse and addictions.
However, there is a shortage of social workers trained to help manage cases and assess, diagnose in the St. Louis region and across the country.
A trio of partners, BJC Health Care, Compass Health Networkand the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Social Work are collaborating to address this critical need. BJC and Compass have signed agreements with UMSL that allow eligible employees to continue Master of Social Work degrees while receiving academic support services to ensure student achievement and degree completion.
“Social work is an in-demand field and is projected to grow faster than other occupations,” he said. little natissiaVice President for Access, Academic Support and Labor Integration of the UMSL.
“These relationships show a commitment to advancing efforts to assist with the professional development of their employees while educating and growing the talent pool to meet the changing needs of communities in this region and throughout the state.”
BJC HealthCare already has social workers who have obtained, or are in the process of obtaining, their RSUs at UMSL.
Beth Camp, manager of learning and organizational effectiveness at BJC, called the decision to pursue a formal agreement with UMSL “a logical move as it sought to increase the number of trained social workers on its staff.”
“Working with UMSL made a lot of sense,” said Camp.
“I look at where our employees are currently spending their tuition benefit dollars, and UMSL was definitely one of those places. We are in the same community and we serve the same people.”
Other health providers in the St. Louis community are also addressing the need.
the Health Resources and Services Administration recently awarded a $1.2 million grant to St. Louis Community College expand your training program community health workers and increase the number of students enrolled in the behavioral health associate degree program.
“There is a shortage of behavioral health staff in the St. Louis area, and behavioral health is struggling to meet the needs of the community,” said Laurie Hawkins, STLCC senior health program manager. Workforce Solutions Group.
Sharon Johnsondean of the School of Social Work, said UMSL will pilot a live/virtual cohort for employees who have completed their BSWs in the spring semester of 2023. It will provide students with a cohort experience, whether they live in the St. Louis region and can attend classes in person or live outside the region and need to attend virtually.
“By having that option available to them, we hope we can influence more people who are not in the St. Louis region to take advantage of this resource, especially knowing how difficult it is and how great the need is in rural areas. areas to have trained behavioral health specialists and social workers,” Johnson said.
“We really want to make sure that we are contributing to this workforce and bringing qualified caseworkers and people into those areas.”
The program will offer a fixed curriculum with a concentration in family medicine with a focus on behavioral health. It is designed to be completed in three years, with two courses each semester and a postgraduate field practicum, completed at the partner organization, in the summer of the student’s senior year.
Interested employees who do not yet have a BSW or who do not wish to participate in the live/virtual cohort still have the option of earning their MSW in the traditional UMSL program.
Under the terms of the agreement, BJC will directly pay the employees’ tuition bills each semester, rather than requiring them to pay and be reimbursed.
“It helps remove one more barrier that might prevent someone from starting,” Camp said. “Employees will use their tuition benefit to reimburse, so it takes the stress out of worrying, ‘Do I have to have the money?’ or ‘Do I have to have a loan?’ or whatever.
“Whenever we have an area of great need like this, we want to make sure we remove as many barriers as we can, and UMSL has been great in helping us figure it out.”
BJC Behavioral Health cares for patients in the St. Louis region and has two locations in Farmington in southeastern Missouri. Compass Health has offices in 29 counties it spans the entire state of Missouri, including St. Charles, Franklin, Lincoln, and Warren counties in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
UMSL envisioned building relationships like these last year when it launched its Labor Integration Office.
“We are an institution committed to developing talent to support the needs of the industry and, more importantly, impact people’s lives by increasing access to opportunity and social mobility,” said Small.
“UMSL is well poised to serve as a model institution for preparing and educating the workforce. Through intentional relationships, we know our students will thrive personally and professionally.
“It makes sense to work with [BJC and Compass] and help your investment in your employees by providing them with the quality education seen within our social work program. These agreements speak volumes about our ability to deliver excellent academic programs and attract corporate partners as an anchor institution in the St. Louis region.”
.
