YSU receives nearly $2 million behavioral health scholarship award

Youngstown State University has received a $1,995,000 award from the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health to support graduate students in YSU’s counseling and social work programs preparing for careers in Ohio’s behavioral health workforce.

The Behavioral Health Scholarship award will be divided evenly between the two programs. For eligible Ohio-resident students, it will primarily cover tuition and general fees during the fall and spring semesters. In return, scholarship recipients will commit to working in an Ohio behavioral work setting after graduation for a period corresponding to the amount of time they received the support.

“This is an investment in people,” said Jake Protivnak, chair of YSU’s Department of Psychological Sciences and Counseling, distinguished professor and counseling program director. “The return on that investment will continue for decades as these individuals provide mental health services to people throughout Ohio.”

The scholarship is designed to reduce financial barriers for students pursuing graduate education while helping build Ohio’s behavioral health workforce. Protivnak said the funding can help talented students who might otherwise delay or forgo graduate school because of cost.

“This scholarship opens the door for students to complete their degrees, earn licensure and build meaningful careers,” he said.

Meghan Bileci, YSU’s Master of Social Work program director, said the award will have an impact well beyond the students who receive the funding.

“It is overwhelming to think about how this is going to change students’ lives, children’s lives and our community,” Bileci said. “We are grateful to be given this opportunity to give back to students who work so hard and who will, in turn, support their communities.”

The impact of the award will extend far beyond the students who receive the scholarships. By helping more students complete graduate education and enter the behavioral health workforce, the funding will increase the number of professionals available to serve Ohio communities, where the need for counselors and social workers remains significant. Over the course of their careers, those graduates could help thousands of individuals and families, creating an impact that will continue for decades.

The award also reflects the programs’ established relationships with community agencies and their record for preparing qualified behavioral health professionals, Protivnak said.

“Counseling and social work are distinct professions, but we share the same goal: preparing highly qualified behavioral health professionals,” Protivnak said. “This funding allows us to work together to support students and meet an important need in Ohio.”