HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced a joint initiative with Carlow and Waynesburg universities to address the shortage of qualified addiction professionals within Pennsylvania’s behavioral health workforce.

Funded by DDAP, this pilot program will focus on the recruitment and retention of behavioral health professionals by providing financial assistance for participating students’ educational expenses. At its core, this initiative is designed to strengthen the SUD workforce pipeline by financially supporting master’s-level students at Carlow and Waynesburg universities. Through the DDAP funding, both universities will offer tuition assistance, a stipend during the students’ practicum/internship with a community-based treatment provider, and additional SUD-related training offered by DDAP for students who qualify under each universities’ respective programs.

“By partnering with higher education institutions that specialize in behavioral health care, we can address the critical workforce needs in the SUD treatment field,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis Jones.

Carlow and Waynesburg universities are the only two higher education institutions in Pennsylvania accredited by the national Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) in the specialty of addictions counseling at the master’s degree level – a distinction that laid the foundation for the partnership with DDAP.

More information on the Shapiro Administration’s efforts can be found on the DDAP website.