Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program - HRSA Grant

The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program, federally funded through a HRSA grant, at Iona University supports the preparation of a skilled, diverse, and community-responsive behavioral health workforce. Through this grant, Iona University expands training opportunities that strengthen interprofessional collaboration, increase access to high-quality behavioral health services, and prepare students to serve individuals and communities with complex and underserved needs.

About Iona’s BHWET Project: Iona Collaborates (IC)

In July 2025, the New York-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing and Health Sciences was awarded a BHWET grant to help grow the behavioral health workforce in high-need communities. First awarded to Iona in 2021, the grant provides stipends and enhanced training for students in different masters-level mental health programs. 

HRSA invests in programs that address critical workforce needs by creating a strong pipeline of health and behavioral health professionals committed to serving medically underserved and vulnerable populations. Through the BHWET Program, this investment strengthens and diversifies the behavioral health workforce, preparing professionals to deliver integrated, team-based care in communities with the greatest need.

Impact Students

Iona’s IC BHWET Program prepares graduate students to become confident, collaborative behavioral health professionals. Students develop the skills needed to deliver:

  • Trauma-informed care
  • Culturally responsive services
  • Interprofessional team-based behavioral health care

The program emphasizes service to children, adolescents, and young adults, particularly those impacted by poverty, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and related social and systemic challenges in underserved communities.

Through the BHWET initiative, Iona University offers IC Fellowship stipends to eligible students who demonstrate a commitment to working with underserved youth populations.

BHWET Fellows Receive:

  • Financial stipend support
  • Specialized professional and co-curricular development
  • Interprofessional learning experiences
  • Guidance in obtaining a National Provider Identifier (NPI)
  • Ongoing connection to Iona after graduation

The BHWET IC Program provides more than financial support; it offers meaningful preparation for real-world practice. 
Graduates leave with:

  • Enhanced clinical and professional skills
  • Experience working in interprofessional teams
  • Preparation for careers in high-need, high-impact community settings

The BHWET IC Program aims to:

  • Expand community partnerships with experiential training sites in high-need areas of Southern Westchester County and the Bronx
  • Recruit a diverse behavioral health workforce committed to serving children, adolescents, and young adults
  • Promote collaborative training across MFT, SPSY, OT, MHC, and MSSW programs using team-based models of care
  • Recruit, develop, and expand the capacity of clinical supervisors to support and mentor behavioral health trainees

Participation in Iona University’s BHWET IC Program offers both professional and financial support.

BHWET Fellows benefit from:

  • Field placement opportunities in high-need, community-based settings
  • Networking and mentorship with faculty, peers, and community partners
  • Significant financial support to focus on training and professional growth
  • 12 fellowship stipends awarded per academic year
  • $25,000 total per student
    • $12,500 per semester during your final two semesters 

To be considered for the BHWET IC Fellowship, students must enrollment in one of the following eligible programs:

Additional Eligibility Requirements:

  • Be in good academic standing
  • Be in the final year of the eligible program
  • Submit a completed application by the stated deadline
  • Complete interprofessional education training
  • Complete a field placement at an approved BHWET site
  • Work with children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth
  • Demonstrate a commitment to serving underserved communities

BHWET Fellows are expected to actively engage in all aspects of the program.

Students must:

  • Fully participate in required training and networking activities
  • Sign a commitment letter agreeing to program expectations
  • Successfully complete their final-year field placement
  • Graduate from their enrolled degree program as scheduled
  • Apply for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) prior to graduation and share it with their program
  • Participate in annual BHWET IC Alumni Surveys, including updates on employment, licensure, and NPI status