The University of South Dakota has received funding from the Department of Health and Human Services and Health Resources and Services Administration to launch a Graduate Psychology Education Program (GPEP) designed to train doctoral health service psychology students for community-based primary care settings in underserved areas. The program is led by Jean Caraway, Ph.D., and Beth Boyd, Ph.D., and aims to address a critical shortage of mental health providers in the state. In 2020, South Dakota ranked 39th in mental health availability, with only five of 66 counties having an adequate supply of mental health providers.
Program Details and Funding
Over three years, the Department of Psychology will receive over $1.3 million in funding, with 50% allocated directly to support trainees. Up to six students per year will receive $25,000 for specialized training in substance use disorders, opioid use disorders, behavioral health integration with primary care, interdisciplinary settings, telehealth, and resiliency training. Students will gain hands-on training and networking in South Dakota communities. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, adults reporting anxiety and depressive disorders doubled in the state, and reports of new or increased substance use due to stress elevated substantially.
Addressing State Needs
According to Jean Caraway, “South Dakota was substantially lacking mental health professionals to address these problems even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, many job openings for licensed psychologists in the state remain unfilled.” She noted that few doctoral programs nationwide offer training in rural psychology, and there is a need to improve competence in serving rural, underserved, and Native American populations. The department plans to enhance partnerships with Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services in Yankton and develop new training opportunities through Avera Behavioral Health in Mitchell and Brookings.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.midwestmedicaledition.com/articles/university-of-south-dakotas-caraway-boyd-to-lead-graduate-psychology-education-program-to-fill-state-gap-in-mental-health-care