LUK, Inc. Awarded Funding as Part of Healey-Driscoll Administration’s $18 Million to Behavioral Health Providers Statewide
LUK, Inc. is one of 71 statewide behavioral health provider organizations awarded funding for the Behavioral Health Supervising Clinicians Incentive Program.
BOSTON — Today the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $17.9 million in funding to 71 behavioral health provider organizations for the Behavioral Health Supervising Clinicians Incentive Program (SCIP). The program provides stipends for qualified behavioral health clinicians in community-based settings who agree to supervise students and clinicians-in-training. This supervision helps support students and trainees on their path to becoming a licensed clinician and sets them up for success in the field. This investment will support 793 clinical supervisors and at least 1,491 supervisees over a two-year period.
“We need more qualified behavioral health providers to deliver needed care in our communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “The Behavioral Health Trust Fund improves recruitment and retention of providers by providing them with an experienced, trusted supervisor while in training. At the same time, it provides additional financial support to our hardworking licensed clinicians. We’re proud to deliver this funding which will improve behavioral health care across the state.”
“These awards prioritize funding clinical supervisors who provide behavioral health services in underserved areas, giving these communities more professionals who are trained to support mental health care,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Investing in this way will reduce barriers for those seeking to become new clinicians or advance in their chosen field and support current clinicians who dedicate their time and expertise to mentoring and training a diverse, qualified and well supported behavioral health workforce.”
The goal of the program is to help students create a stronger network of support early in their career development, increasing the pool of available behavioral health professionals working in Massachusetts and addressing the behavioral health workforce shortage. Funding will offset the otherwise unreimbursed time clinicians spend providing supervision to students and clinicians in-training who are working towards certification or licensure.
“This financial support recognizes the valuable contributions of current clinicians who mentor and train a diverse, qualified, and well-supported behavioral health workforce,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “Supporting people early in their careers, and connecting them with mentors and people who can guide them gives newer clinicians a network to turn to which will reduce burnout and improve care to patients in our state.”
The administration prioritized funding for clinical supervisors with diverse backgrounds who provide behavioral health services in underserved areas across Massachusetts. Supervisors benefiting from SCIP will provide behavioral services in all priority languages in Massachusetts, and there is at least one clinical supervisor in each city and town identified in the Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts initiative. Seventy-nine percent of awardee organizations provide substance use disorder treatment and 43 percent provide such treatment for children.
This initiative is funded through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services’ Behavioral Health Trust, which was created with American Rescue Plan Act recovery funds to address barriers to accessing behavioral health care and services. To date the Trust has distributed $114 million in student loan repayment, licensure fee waivers, and internship supports.’