The United States is facing a public health crisis in addressing the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth. Southwest Pennsylvania has been particularly affected by this crisis. Allegheny County, with its concentrated urban center (Pittsburgh) and a high (sub)urban poverty rate, has seen its resources for appropriate treatment for the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth (15-26 yo) stretched to the limit. This crisis is particularly pronounced in public sector services working with children, youth and young adults impacted by poverty, neighborhood violence, racism, and intersecting discrimination.
The BHSP Fellowship aims to develop and expand experiential training opportunities, such as practicum placements and seminars, to improve the distribution and supply of incorporating interdisciplinary teaming and team-based care in a variety of mental, behavioral and integrated health settings. The fellowship emphasizes and prioritizes building a workforce that represents minoritized racial, ethnic, cultural, geographic, religious, linguistic, and class backgrounds and different genders and sexual orientations. Our focus is connecting with students interested in serving high-need, high-demand, and medically underserved areas to address workforce shortages in these areas of need.
“The BHSP fellowship was instrumental in preparing me for my post-graduation work. It gave me hands-on experience treating children and adolescents in a clinical setting, specifically with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It was through this program that I became proficient in Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, which has been a core part of my work now as an ERP therapist at OCD North in Barrie, Ontario. The experience solidified my passion for working with children and adolescents, which continues to drive my practice today.” - Safa Alasady, BHSP Alumni 2024.
Application Deadline
Applications open January 2, 2025
March 3, 2025- MSW Specialization Year
March 10, 2025- MSW Advanced Standing
Application Requirements
- Completion of the BHSP Application
- Resume
- Transcripts
- Letter of recommendation speaking to your experience and/or desire to work with children, adolescents, or transitional-aged youth in high need, high demand, and/or medically underserved populations.
- Application questions are provided below. You may select one of the following formats to share your response:
- Video Response – share your response by recording and uploading a video of yourself responding to the two questions below. Your video should not exceed 10 minutes.
- Written Essay – share your response by uploading an essay in which you respond to the two questions below – please limit your response to 4 pages max.
- Interview – share your response by scheduling a time to connect with the BHSP fellowship team – interviews will be approximately 15 minutes long and take place March 11th and 12th).
Application Questions:
- Speak to your experience with and desire to work with children, adolescents, or transition-aged youth in high-need, high-demand, and disadvantaged social work settings (e.g., public sector agencies). Share how this fellowship will better equip you for this work.
- What knowledge, values, and skills did you take away from your first practicum or an impactful work experience that you have had? What would be your ideal practicum placement for your specialization year and why?
BHSP Program Perks
Being involved in the BHSP Fellowship affords the student with a wealth of opportunities, which may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Stipend: The BHWET program provides students with a $10,000 stipend while they complete their clinical practicum experience in the grants focus area (i.e., high-need, high-demand areas, working with marginalized populations). The eligible student will receive a $5,000 stipend for the fall practicum experience and a $5,000 stipend for the spring practicum experience.
- Practicum learning and support: Experiential learning opportunities in high-demand, high-need areas, working with marginalized populations, and incorporating interdisciplinary teaming and team-based care in mental, behavioral and integrated health settings. All BHSP fellows will have the opportunity to work with the BHSP practicum advisor and fellowship team to support their career development.
- Professional development opportunities - Monthly seminars and a required BHSP class.
Practicum Placement Options
BHSP emphasizes relationships with community-based partners to increase access to quality behavioral health services for populations across the lifespan in high-need, high-demand, and medically underserved areas. A particular focus is vulnerable populations, including children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth with or at risk for mental or behavioral health disorders.
Examples of practicum sites include:
- Evolve Coaching (www.evolve-coaching.org)
- Upstreet (www.upstreetpgh.org)
- The Beacon (www.beaconpgh.org)
- UPMC Center for Children and Families
Practicum placements are structured to require students to be placed on an interprofessional team of providers. (All practicum sites must be approved and applied to through the BHSP-assigned practicum advisor.)
Participation Commitments
Ongoing participation is critical to the success of this training program. Students are required to:
- Complete 720 hours of practicum work at designated BHSP agencies.
- Complete all paperwork, clearances, and training required by the practicum agency.
- Have the desire to pursue employment with vulnerable populations, high need, high demand, and/or medically underserved populations.
- Complete and submit all required information for accurate reporting and project documentation for the Health Resources and Services Administration.
- Respond to requests post-graduation for information necessary for program reporting for purposes such as licensure status and career placements.
- Keep The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work staff apprised of professional development.
- Complete the required coursework for the Mental Health Certificate or the Integrated Healthcare Certificate.
- During the fellowship, students must attend a monthly BHSP seminar (meeting) with their peers. Attendance at these seminars is mandatory and will count toward students’ total practicum hours. Seminars are intended to provide insight into various interventions and topics related to the goal of this grant. They are not exhaustive. Students are also required to complete evaluations after seminars.
Seminar topics may include:
- Interprofessional learning opportunities
- Social Workers and Holistic Treatment Options
- Panel discussions and opportunities to meet and network with community professionals
(NOTE: topics and speakers will vary each year. This is a sample.)
Required Courses
In addition to the MSW core curriculum and required courses toward either the Mental Health or Integrated Healthcare Certificate, BHSP trainees will complete two required courses:
- Social Work Practice with Children, Adolescents, and Transitional-Aged Youth (new BHSP developed course), and
- Introduction to Psychopharmacology and Social Work Practice
Eligibility
- Second-year or advanced-standing, full-time students
- Direct practice specialization
- Pursuing the Integrated Healthcare or Mental Health certificates
- Demonstrated strong academic performance
- U.S. citizenship
Application Requirements
- Completion of the BHSP Application
- Resume
- Transcripts
- Letter of recommendation speaking to your experience and/or desire to work with children, adolescents, or transitional-aged youth in high need, high demand, and/or medically underserved populations.
- A statement of interest no longer than two pages answering the following:
- Speak to your experience and future desire to work with children, adolescents, or transitional-aged youth in high need, high demand, and disadvantaged public sector of social work and how this fellowship will better equip you.
Selection Process
- Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of at least 3 Pitt SSW faculty members and one staff member.
- The selection committee will contact those who will move forward with a brief Zoom interview during the week of March 10, 2025.
- Final acceptance into the program is contingent on the student’s interview and acceptance at a designated BHSP practicum site.
Timeline
Application Deadline: March 3 Specialization MSW
March 10 Advanced Standing MSW
Review of Application Materials: March 1-March 31
Notification of Acceptance/Waitlist: April 1
Candidate Acceptance Deadline: April 8
If there are unfilled positions, rolling applications will be accepted and reviewed from April to July.
Rolling application and waitlist notification: August 22nd.
Waitlist Policy
Once a student formally accepts a fellowship appointment, they will be removed from any other training program waitlist. If they are placed on the waitlist, a student may accept another fellowship opportunity but should notify the coordinator that they no longer wish to be considered for this fellowship.
Contact Information
Kelsey Ott-Sudik, MSW, LCSW
BHSP Program Coordinator
Email: KEO97@pitt.edu