On Oct. 1, the U.S. Department of Education awarded Thomas University’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CMHCRC) program a $750,000 grant to be used over the next five years. The grant includes tuition scholarships for nine students, known as TU RSA Scholars, per year who agree to work for their state’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services office after graduation to serve clients with mental illness.
 
Written by Dr. Cristina Jones, CMHCRC Program Coordinator, and Dr. Pauline Patrick, Counseling and Psychology Division Chair, this is the third time TU has received the grant. The goal of the federal grant is to address the national shortage of master’s level Vocational Rehabilitation counselors at the national, state and regional levels by increasing the number of qualified personnel trained in providing vocational, medical, social and psychological rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. This grant focuses on the academic and clinical training of students who will be proficient at working with the population of VR clients whose mental illness is an impediment to employment.
 
“Being awarded the Rehabilitation Long Term Training grant is a huge honor and wonderful opportunity for our students,” Jones said. “Persons with mental illness face the highest unemployment rate of all persons with disabilities. The chance to train our students to meet the employment and independent living needs of this population will go a long way in eliminating the stigma of mental illness and create a new workforce of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors who are highly qualified to assist persons facing mental health challenges.”
 
TU’s CMHCRC program, which is completely online, has dual accreditation in Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling through the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP) through the summer of 2023. The program’s coursework prepares all students, including TU RSA Scholars, to become qualified counselors in rehabilitation and mental health counseling. TU students receive specific training, certification and license eligibility, and clinical experience to work in state Vocational Rehabilitation settings and other setting to serve clients with a variety of physical and mental disabilities.