School of Social Work Masters Students: Jessica Currier, David Minney, Naomi McLaughlin, Megan Vogt
Extramural Sponsored Project – Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) / Upstate New York Mental and Behavioral Health Education Consortium (UNY-MBHEC), $480,253
Syracuse University’s School of Social Work has announced four advanced standing MSW students have received Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant awards as a part of the Upstate New York Mental and Behavioral Health Education Consortium (UNY-MBHEC). This new initiative’s focus is to increase the capacity of the social work profession in upstate New York to serve the mental and behavioral health needs of veterans, military personnel and their families, and residents of medically underserved rural communities.
The School of Social Work has partnered with the Syracuse VA Medical Center, where all four students have field placements this semester. Congratulations to the following students awarded this prestigious and competitive award, and a special thank you to our partners at the Veterans Administration:
- Jessica Currier – Homeless Program
- David Minney – Patient-Aligned Care Team
- Naomi McLaughlin – Military Sexual Trauma
- Megan Vogt – Geriatrics
Earlier this year, the School of Social Work announced it is part of a consortium of upstate New York schools, led by the University at Albany’s School of Social Welfare, to support behavioral health initiatives for veterans. Under the umbrella of UNY-MBHEC, the partners include U. Albany, the University at Buffalo, University at Binghamton, University at Brockport, Nazareth College of Rochester and Roberts Wesleyan College, in addition to the School of Social Work in SU’s Falk College. The Consortium’s objectives include recruiting a highly qualified pool of trainee candidates and supporting their educational and career development, creating and sustaining specialized mental and behavioral health field placement sites and enriched training experiences in high-need, high-demand areas, and disseminating training materials and scholarly research products.
The project is supported by a three-year, $480,253 competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration. This grant is one of only 13 funded nationally. Syracuse University has been awarded a $65,400 subcontract as a part of the three-year project. Its efforts in the consortium are led by Principal Investigator, Dr. Carrie Jefferson Smith, director of the School of Social Work, and Co-Investigator, Kristin Esposito, field placement coordinator, School of Social Work.
“Our collaborative partnership is predicated on common purposes, shared resources, mutual accountability for outcomes, and commitment to continuous quality improvement. The benefits for students and the project will be far more than any one institution alone could offer, and the knowledge we will gain has national import for the social work profession and other large-scale professional training interventions,’ notes Smith.
To fulfill the certificate of clinical practice, SU students will participate in an enriched training program that focuses on evidenced-based interventions, trauma recovery, cultural competence and interprofessional practice. The students will be connected to other students participating in the program though discussion boards and on-line training programs. At the end of the program, students will have created a personal ePortfolio and developed career ladders, along with obtaining a certificate of clinical practice.
This collaboration underscores the Falk College, its School of Social Work and Syracuse University’s long-standing commitment to veterans and military families through interdisciplinary scholarship to address issues impacting this community.