PSU Awarded $400,000 for Integrated Care

U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration grant will put more PSU students in Federally Qualified Health Centers in underserved New Hampshire communities

Plymouth State University (PSU) was recently awarded a $400,000 grant by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant will help PSU prepare its clinical mental health counseling students to treat Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) using the integrated care model, in which medical and behavioral professionals work together to treat addiction.

PSU will increase the number of internship opportunities available by partnering with Federally Qualified Health Centers in underserved communities in New Hampshire. PSU students will work closely with medical and behavioral health professionals on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, treating people who are dealing with addiction and providing intervention services at Mid-State Health Center in Plymouth; Manchester Community Health Center in Manchester; and HealthFirst Family Health Care Centers in Franklin and Laconia.

“New Hampshire has the third-highest overdose death rate in the country,” says Cynthia Waltman, Ph.D., NCSP, counselor education and school psychology professor, Plymouth State University. “It’s vital that we train our students to use the most effective treatment methods possible, preparing them to make a positive difference with their work on the front lines of this crisis. Interning in respected health centers that use the integrated care model will teach our students how to work collaboratively with other professionals to treat people who are dealing with addiction.”

PSU was one of 20 universities across the country to be awarded this grant, which is a supplement to the initial HRSA grant PSU received in August 2017.

Through this grant, PSU will also help prepare students to work with people who have family members who are struggling with addiction. The Counselor Education and School Psychology (CESP) programs will also add to the curriculum, ensuring everyone who graduates from the program understands the integrated care model and how to support families who are dealing with addiction.

Using grant funds, PSU will also develop flyers, brochures and a designated website to educate community members about the integrated care model, and where and how to access treatment services in New Hampshire.