Inside the University of Maryland School of Social Work's Behavioral Health Workforce Integration Service and Educational (BHWISE) SUDIF Fellowship: MSW Alumni Share Practicum Experiences, Training, and Career Paths in Substance Use and Behavioral Health. To learn more about BHWISE visit ssw.umaryland.edu/bhwise. For more information about the Master of Social Work (MSW) Program visit ssw.umaryland.edu/msw.
Latavia Little of the University of Maryland School of Social Work introduces BHWISE fellowships and highlights the two-year Substance Use Disorders Interventions Fellowship (SUDIF), which provides MSW students specialized training, financial stipends, and dedicated practicum placements in exchange for a two-year postgraduation service commitment in substance use disorder treatment. Alumni Avon Bryant and Shatera Hillyard (Class of 2024) discuss what inspired them to pursue social work, their interests in substance use work, how they learned about and applied to SUDIF, and the fellowship’s benefits and challenges, including added coursework, seminars, and Maryland work requirements. They share practicum experiences at The Dorm, Whitman Walker Health, and Turk House, key takeaways on meeting clients where they are, levels of care, and integrating substance use and mental health treatment, and explain how SUDIF training supports their current roles and future goals.