What is BHWISE Lifespan?
The Behavioral Health Workforce Integration Service and Education, (BHWISE) Lifespan Fellowship started in 2014 with the first of three multi-year, million-plus dollar behavioral health workforce training grants (BHWET) from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). The first training grant focused on selecting BHWISE Fellows who were committed to careers in behavioral health services for children, youth, and young adults. From 2017 through the current academic year, UMSSW was awarded continuation funding, recruiting and training an additional 260 MSW students to provide behavioral health services to clients of all ages who live in underserved communities.
After 11 years and nearly 350 graduates, the BHWISE-Lifespan Fellowship Program has come to an end. Our alumni are practicing social workers in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and across the country. A recent survey of our graduates (n=218) found that more than 95% of our graduates work full or part time in the social work profession. Of those in the field, 94% are licensed, and 62% are practicing in areas of high health care need including health professions shortage areas, medically underserved areas, and rural communities. In the future, if funds become available, the School of Social Work would like to restart this successful program preparing students for social work in integrated behavioral health care.
