The purpose of the project is to increase the professional workforce in substance use treatment. The Substance Use Disorders Workforce Expansion (SUDWE) Project, allows UMSSW to expand our behavioral health workforce development programs offering a one-year fellowship on substance use prevention and intervention to advanced standing students. Additionally, UMSSW will support and collaborate with Morgan State University and Salisbury State University MSW programs in offering a similar opportunity.
The project will select and train 25 advanced standing students at each of the three MSW programs over the next two academic years. Students will be referred to programs providing treatment for substance use disorders for their advanced field practicum experience; they will receive additional didactic and experiential training specifically in evidence-based practice in SUD treatment and receive a $12,000 educational stipend.
Additionally, project faculty will develop a series of 6 modules in content areas that address skill and knowledge gaps identified in the existing literature. The modules will be implemented across sites for the purposes of providing specialized, evidence-based training for SUDWE fellows as well as being available for the general MSW program.
The potential impact of SUDWE, will be to increase the number of graduate clinical social workers practicing and leading in the field of substance use disorders treatment, providing greater access to evidence-based care for the community.
The SSW's Michele Beaulieu, MSW is the project's Principal Investigator (PI) and LaTavia Little, MSW, is the Co-PI.