Fayetteville State University and its School of Social Work are partnering with Cumberland County Schools, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and RTI International to address shortages in school-based mental health care services.

The new Alliance for Leading and Learning (ALL) initiative in CCS seeks to develop a pipeline to advance school-based mental health professionals in its schools and diversify the pool of providers. 

ALL is made possible by a grant of just over $5 million to Cumberland County Schools’ Student Services Department from the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools. 

“We are extremely excited to work with our colleagues at CCS, UNCP and RTI to strengthen and grow school-based mental health services in our communities and prepare future mental health providers for this critical work,” said Quienton L. Nichols, M.S.W., Ph.D., associate dean and associate professor in the FSU School of Social Work, in a press release. “We know that mental as well as physical health and wellbeing are crucial for student success, retention and persistence to and through high school and beyond.”

ALL will place graduate students from the master’s programs in social work at FSU and UNCP and those from UNCP’s master’s program in school counseling in CCS locations to provide mental health care while earning important experience and credit hours in a supervised environment. 

“CCS believes strongly in removing barriers and creating opportunities to promote academic success. Schools are in a unique role to detect mental health concerns and connect students to the support they need to thrive regardless of circumstances,” said Natasha Scott, M.S.W., Ed.D., CCS executive director of student services, in a press release. “Our partnership with FSU, UNCP and RTI International will continue our work to reimagine Student Services by developing a mental and behavioral health framework in our schools as we bring more well prepared, school-based mental health professionals into the workforce.”

ALL also promotes inclusivity by infusing inclusive practices into both the coursework of the graduate students and into their internship experience. Developing the knowledge, skills and dispositions of SBMH professionals to apply practices that promote inclusivity and remove unconscious bias enhances mental health services and ensures all students receive the support they need.

“FSU’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program is keenly focused on equipping its graduates with the knowledge, skills and social work values to alleviate oppression, poverty and discrimination in a multicultural society,” said Beverly Edwards, M.S.W., Ph.D., associate professor and M.S.W. program director in FSU’s School of Social Work, in a press release. “The ALL initiative gives our students real-world, immersive experience to make them the best possible practitioners while also having a significant impact in our schools. It’s an incredible opportunity and we are proud to be a part of it.”

ALL program participants receive the CCS School-Based Mental Health Certification; preferred hiring status at CCS; reimbursement for professional testing exam fees, initial licensure fees, and mileage for work-related travel; an opportunity for a stipend or tuition reimbursement; and mock interviews.