The EPIC program

In 2017, Nadine Bean, PhD, LCSW (Emerita) successfully applied for a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training (BHWET) Grant for West Chester University’s (WCU) MSW and MEd School Counseling Programs. The primary goals of the grant were to increase the number of graduate level social workers and school counselors trained in integrated care and to expand behavioral health services to medically underserved populations and communities. 

In 2018, WCU was awarded an additional $300,000 supplemental HRSA BHWET grant to train fifteen additional MSW students in integrated care settings serving persons with opioid use/substance use disorders (OUD/SUD) via medically-assisted treatment (MAT). Community partner sites included Project H.O.P.E., Camden, Philadelphia FIGHT, and Community Health and Dental Care. Each partnering site received paired funding to strengthen their integrated care teams.

The first four-year grant (fall 2017-spring 2021) and supplemental two-year grant (fall 2018-spring 2020) trained a total of 116 eligible West Chester University students from the Departments of Graduate Social Work and Counselor Education. 

Dr. Bean retired in August, 2020 and turned the final year of the grant over to Julie Tennille, PhD, LSW. In January 2021, Dr. Tennille applied for a HRSA BHWET "Competing Continuation," adding PsyD as a third program. In June 2021, WCU was notified that they had received the grant of over $1.9 million, this time with a focus on integrated care to high need children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth. The latest grant will train a total of 100 eligible students between 2021 and 2025. In August, 2024, Alison Updyke-Neff, MSW, DSW, LSW stepped into the role of Project Director/Principal Investigator for the final year of the 2021-2025 HRSA BHWET grant. Dr. Neff will continue to carry on the EPIC tradition as she looks for more opportunities for WCU students.

Eligible students are selected from a competitive application process and participate in experiential (practicum) learning and interprofessional behavioral health training at partner sites that will prepare them to work in settings that integrate primary care and behavioral health to children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth. Selected master students receive $10,000 stipends and doctoral students receive $25,000 stipends for successful completion of the EPIC program.

Through the EPIC Training Series and the Biennial Symposia, the EPIC program also provides free faculty, professional, and community training in integrated care on the most up-to-date evidence based research, working to expand excellent integrated care services to high need areas and populations. Free continuing education credits are available at training events for PA-Licensed LBSW, LSW, LCSW, LMFT, and LPC. All attendees at the training events have the ability to request a Certificate of Attendance for their own professions and state.

If you would like to learn more and stay connected with the EPIC Program, please follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn -- and be sure to sign-up for our mailing list to receive newsletters and training announcements.

THANK YOU!  - The EPIC Team