<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3L3d6S_1GpNxpdO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3L3d6S_1GpNxpdO00" width="1280" height="853" ><figcaption>New LPHI Program Boosts Social Workers. Getty image.</figcaption></figure><p>NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) has launched a free program to help Louisiana social workers overcome financial and professional barriers to clinical licensure, with the goal of expanding the state’s behavioral health workforce and improving access to mental health services.</p><p>The Louisiana Behavioral Health Workforce Catalyst Program, developed in partnership with the National Mental Health Corps and funded through a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, provides financial assistance, clinical supervision, exam preparation, licensure support and career guidance to social workers pursuing clinical licensure.</p><p>For many social workers, earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree is only the beginning. The path to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), qualified to provide a full range of therapeutic services, can involve exams, fees, years of supervised clinical experience, paperwork and other costs that make the process difficult to navigate.</p><p>According to the program’s organizers, more than 5,000 individuals with MSW degrees in Louisiana are estimated to be unlicensed, even as demand for mental health professionals continues.</p><h2>LPHI: Expanding Louisiana’s Behavioral Health Workforce</h2><p>The Workforce Catalyst Program is designed to support social workers as they move from MSW graduation through Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) licensure, clinical supervision and testing to become Licensed Clinical Social Workers.</p><p>The initiative aims to expand the pipeline of licensed social workers across Louisiana, strengthening the state’s ability to address mental health and substance use challenges faced by individuals, families and communities.</p><p>The program will use virtual clinical supervision, or telesupervision, to reach social workers throughout the state, particularly those in rural areas, those working with individuals experiencing serious mental illness, and graduates of state colleges, universities and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The goal is to help more social workers complete their licensure requirements and continue practicing in Louisiana.</p><p>“Social workers are critical to ensuring the mental health of communities across Louisiana, whether in clinics, hospitals, community-based organizations, or schools. They are often there for people during some of life’s hardest moments. We want to make sure they have the necessary support and resources to continue to practice social work and keep growing in their careers,” said Shelina Davis, MSW, MPH, president and CEO of the Louisiana Public Health Institute.</p><p>“The path to clinical licensure can be expensive and complicated, and too often those barriers cause people to step away altogether. Workforce Catalyst participants will have the funding and people in their corner supporting them along the way. When we invest in social workers, we also know we are investing in the places that employ them—clinics that need qualified licensed mental health professionals able to meet the needs of thousands of Louisiana residents needing more support,” said Tricia Harrity, CEO of National Mental Health Corps.</p><h2>LPHI: Financial Assistance and Licensure Support</h2><p>Through the Workforce Catalyst Program, eligible social workers across Louisiana can receive a range of services and resources to help them work toward clinical licensure, including:</p><ul><li>Financial assistance for eligible participants</li><li>Structured exam preparation and licensure support</li><li>Assistance with licensure applications and exam registration</li><li>Transportation assistance related to examinations</li><li>Free virtual clinical supervision</li><li>Progress tracking and coordinated guidance</li><li>Career and transition planning</li></ul><p>The program brings these services together to help participants navigate the licensure process, reduce financial barriers and prepare for long-term careers in behavioral health.</p><p>“Access to mental health care starts with having enough qualified people to provide it,” said Catharine Grimes, president of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. “Louisiana has thousands of trained social workers who face significant barriers to clinical licensure. By helping them overcome those barriers, we can strengthen the state’s mental health workforce and expand access to care, particularly in rural communities and those that are medically underserved.”</p><p>Social workers interested in participating can learn more about the program and complete an application at lphi.org/catalyst.</p><h2>LPHI, NMHC and BMSF at a Glance</h2><p>The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) is a statewide nonprofit organization that works with communities and partners to improve health outcomes and expand access to health resources across Louisiana.</p><p>The National Mental Health Corps works to create career pathways for aspiring mental health professionals and strengthen community mental health services.</p><p>The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation is an independent charitable organization that supports initiatives addressing health care needs and access to care.</p></div></body>

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NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) has launched a free program to help Louisiana social workers overcome financial and professional barriers to clinical licensure, with the goal of expanding the state’s behavioral health workforce and improving access to mental health services. The Louisiana Behavioral Health...

New LPHI Program Boosts Social Workers

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NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) has launched a free program to help Louisiana social workers overcome financial and professional

New LPHI Program Boosts Social Workers

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