University of Dayton Secures $278K State Grant to Support Mental Health Counseling Programs
The University of Dayton has been awarded a $278,000 grant from the state of Ohio, aimed at advancing opportunities in the mental health counseling field. This new funding will provide essential financial support for students pursuing careers in behavioral health, helping to alleviate some of the challenges associated with the cost of education.
Meredith Montgomery, Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University, explained that the funds will be used to assist students with a range of expenses, including tuition, textbooks, fuel, transportation to training sites, and even childcare. By addressing these financial barriers, the program hopes to make it easier for students to focus on their studies and training.
The grant is also intended to incentivize students to enter the behavioral health field. Graduate student Malon Hood shared how the funding will provide essential resources to students, helping them navigate both their academic and personal lives. “I think this funding is really going to provide a lot more resources for students to really delve into different walks of life, as far as what they want to do with their career,” Hood said.
In exchange for receiving this financial support, students are required to intern for one year at a behavioral health center in Ohio and commit to working in the field for at least one year after graduation. The program currently enrolls around 60 students, and the additional funding is expected to enhance its competitiveness compared to other institutions.
Montgomery emphasized the importance of these initiatives, noting that the mental health field is facing significant demand, particularly since the pandemic. “These types of programs absolutely help us to get more practitioners into the field and shorten those wait times,” Montgomery said, underscoring the critical need for more professionals to address the rising demand for behavioral health services.
