📍Connecticut
Scaling Graduate Psychology Education for a Sustainable Workforce
Challenge:
How can a health center expand psychology training in a way that meets rigorous standards, supports a complex clinical environment, and aligns with staffing needs across an integrated system of medical, dental, and behavioral health services?
Solution:
Community Health Center, Inc., a health center in Connecticut, leveraged HRSA/BHW Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) funding to develop a comprehensive psychology training pathway program spanning practicum, internship, and postdoctoral levels. Through its Postdoctoral Psychology Residency Program and broader behavioral health training initiatives for providers, the health center implemented the following strategies:
- GPE-funded curriculum: Developed a formal curriculum for trainees and staff that expanded group programming and created interdisciplinary learning opportunities across medical, dental, and behavioral health teams.
- Community mental health exposure: Provided hands-on clinical experiences in various settings such as school-based clinics, shelters, and telehealth to build competency and excitement for working in medically under-resourced areas.
- Faculty mentorship & structured learning path: Established a clear training sequence (i.e., practicum – internship – postdoctoral) supported by faculty mentorship and a guided path to growth within the organization.
- Academic & clinical partnerships: Enhanced collaboration with university partners through regular check-ins, recruitment outreach, visibility at events, and shared planning processes.
Impact:
✅ Trained more than 300 providers across practicum, internship, and postdoctoral levels
✅ Developed a sustainable, structured training program for long-term workforce engagement.
✅ Strengthened academic and community partnerships to enhance recruitment, adaptability and long-term workforce retention.
✅ Supported more than 30 GPE-funded trainees in six years, expanding access to high-quality behavioral health education.