Notre Dame partners to grow Indiana’s mental health workforce
Today, one out of every two Americans lives in a mental health workforce shortage area, according to the United States Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW). In many communities, the lack of providers means behavioral health, mental health and substance use-related needs go untreated. To meet Americans’ needs by 2036 would mean training nearly 100,000 new psychologists, along with thousands of social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists and other providers.
The University of Notre Dame is part of a statewide effort aimed at reversing this trend. In partnership with WISE Indiana, on behalf of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA), the University is contracted to help enhance the recruitment, retention and quality of Indiana’s behavioral health workforce. The effort will also identify promising, data-driven strategies for mental health workforce development that can be applied by future programs across the state.
Gina Navoa Svarovsky, who will lead Notre Dame's efforts, said, "With a problem this large, it's important to explore a wide range of potential solutions." Svarovsky, who serves as the faculty director of the Center for Broader Impacts and an associate professor of the practice in the Center for STEM Education, will oversee the convening of representatives from the state’s 18 Recruitment and Retention Innovation grant awardees to form a Community of Practice that can foster idea sharing, networking and professional learning among project leaders.
Initiatives within the state’s Community of Practice will take several different approaches, such as:
-
Hosting career exploration and training for high school students,
-
Implementing new training opportunities and career pathways for community health workers and addiction peer recovery coaches,
-
Piloting or expanding intern-to-employee career programs, and
-
Providing support for existing providers to reduce unnecessary burdens and prevent burnout.
The members of the Community of Practice will share successful ideas with each other as their projects unfold. The team will also leverage Notre Dame’s expertise in mental health to provide professional development opportunities to members of the Community of Practice over the next three years.
The Community of Practice will be supported by Notre Dame's research strengths in community health and data-driven program evaluation. Campus partners that will contribute to the statewide Community of Practice will include the Center for Broader Impacts, the Community Health and Clinical Partnerships team, the Department of Psychology, the Notre Dame Research Communications Team, and the William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families.
To learn more about efforts to enhance the overall societal impact of research at the University of Notre Dame, please visit cbi.nd.edu.
Contact: Brandi Wampler, associate director of media relations, 574-631-2632, brandiwampler@nd.edu
Originally published by news.nd.edu on September 05, 2024.
atLatest Research
- When countries hide their true public debt, they hurt themselves, their citizens and their lendersGlobal public debt may soon collectively catch up to the worldwide gross domestic product (GDP), likely matching it by 2030. New research from a Notre Dame economist suggests that this could happen even sooner, thanks to countries’ hidden debts. This misreported debt can lead to higher interest rates for borrowers and lower recovery rates for lenders, suggesting indirect adverse effects on global financial stability and consumer welfare.
- Fighting for NICU babies and their familiesFor more than 30 years, Notre Dame has researchers have studied NICUs to ensure the gold standard of care for infants around the world. Read the story
- Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute Hosts Conference on Housing Markets and AffordabilityThe Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate (FIRE) at the University of Notre Dame recently hosted its Conference on Housing Markets and Housing Affordability on October 14-15, 2024, bringing together top university researchers from across the country, policymakers, and industry leaders. The event highlighted the latest research and innovative strategies to address the growing housing affordability crisis, with a strong focus on bridging the gap between academia and the real estate industry.
- Research and reconnections: A summer in GreeceDemetrios Fotopoulos…
- Building connections: RCLC students design birdhouses for Habitat familiesA collaboration between the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) and the University of Notre Dame’s Art, Art History, and Design Department is equipping local students with valuable technical skills while contributing to…
- Through impactful partnerships, ND Mexico brings record number of undergraduate students to Notre Dame for research2024 iSTES students and staff celebrate new friendships and cherished memories at the program's Farewell Dinner.…