Courtesy of Edward Waters University,
Edward Waters University’s (EWU) Dr. Jacqueline Conley, Professor of Psychology, has been awarded the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Training (BHWET) federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that totals about $1.7 million to produce more Certified Addictions Professionals (CAPs) and Certified Addictions Counselors (CACs). There has been an increased demand for these professions as there is a nationwide opioid crisis and Dr. Conley is more than honored to lead applicants into the substance abuse and mental health field through this grant that will enable her to provide courses for applicants who want to be CAPs or CACs.
The HRSA-BHWET federal grant was awarded to Dr. Conley in September of 2021 and will fund the program over the next four years. The program is called “The EWU Community Integrated Training Program (CITP)”, which means that there are community partners in Florida that Dr. Conley is collaborating with to fill a total of 26 spots. “The application for this grant was not one for just the state of Florida – it is nationwide, which means that it’s incredibly competitive,” Dr. Conley says, “and out of 44 different institutions throughout the country, I was able to contribute to EWU’s emerging eminence by getting this grant to help with funding. It was hard work, but I hope that with this grant, we can produce more CAPs and CACs to tackle the opioid crisis that has been a nationwide problem for a long time”. EWU is one of the two institutions that is approved by the Florida Certification Board to produce CAPs and CACs.
“I am deeply overjoyed by the awarding of this HRSA grant to EWU, and to Dr. Conley for her demonstrated leadership in the collective effort to accelerate opportunity and to increase the number of addictions professionals in the workforce. With the HRSA funding, I am certain that Dr. Conley will make a great contribution to improving this field of work with the establishment of this program,” said President Faison.
Students who are currently enrolled in a Psychology major or a Criminal Justice major are the people that Dr. Conley hopes can apply for this program. With the HRSA grant, successful applicants will receive a $5,000 stipend each month along with an additional $2,850 that goes towards tuition at EWU. The 26 spots that are reserved for applicants are split into 10 and 16 – 10 applicants being from EWU who wish to become CAPs and 16 community partners who wish to become CACs. Dr. Conley is currently collaborating with a community partner to ensure that the courses are 100% online. The hours that EWU students spend in the CITP will contribute towards their required content hours and their bachelor’s degree as they continue into the profession. While the community partner applicants will earn the content hours required to apply for the certification exam through the Florida Certification Board, the next period for this application roll-out is Fall of 2022.
“By introducing this new program to the community, Dr. Conley is not only contributing to EWU’s goal of enhancing the university’s academic profile, but she is also helping to create opportunities for students and community members to enter an increasingly high-demand field,” Dr. Oliver, Provost of EWU and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs commented.
EWU extends its immense congratulations to Dr. Jacqueline Conley and we know that with this grant, she will do a tremendous job in contributing to our emerging eminence.
