February 1, 2023

Dear Angela,

I just reintroduced the Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act, which takes action on the District's mental health crisis by funding a Master's in Social Work degree program at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), making it free for DC residents and people working in DC who have bachelor's degrees. We urgently have to build our workforce pipeline to ensure we have the social workers, counselors, and behavioral health specialists to meet our residents' needs.

Mental health deeply impacts the health of our city, and residents want jobs in this sector. When I initially introduced this bill last Council period, in September 2022, people commented on our social media posts saying how they'd always wanted to go back to school to study behavioral health and advance their career but couldn't afford it. This bill establishes a scholarship to make both the Master's in Counseling and Master's in Social Work degrees free for eligible DC residents and people working in DC by covering tuition, books, a monthly stipend for living expenses and transportation, and reimbursement of licensing costs.

The connection between trauma and the cycles of violence in DC is clear. Mental health services are a key component of a holistic approach to crime prevention and response, but we must have the workforce in place for it to make a real difference on the ground. In early January, the School-Based Behavioral Health Program, which places behavioral health clinicians at DC public and public charter schools, had 104 vacant positions. We've made great strides in investing in our students’ mental health, but the workforce needs to catch up. And how many of us have been put on waiting lists or been told a therapy practice has no availability right now? DC is facing a crisis and we need people with the expertise to meet it.

Want a quick overview? Watch this 1-minute DC News Now segment from last night! And check out my responses to frequently asked questions, below.

Sincerely, 

Robert 

DC News Now Segment - Click to Watch

Your Questions Answered

Does this bill only cover graduate degrees in social work?

It covers master’s degree programs that lead to social work or counseling occupations.

How much will this bill cost taxpayers?

It is estimated to cost $6 million over four years.

When will the UDC Master of Social Work scholarship program start?

We’re hoping to fund this program in the budget (budget season starts now!) and want the program open by Spring 2024.

How many students will this scholarship program serve?

It would serve 20 students in the first year and 40 in each subsequent year.

Is this program limited to people who live in DC?

Anyone with a bachelor's degree who lives or works in DC is eligible for this program.

Which Councilmembers support this bill?

A majority of my colleagues signed on to join me in introducing this bill! Thank you to Councilmembers McDuffie, Bonds, Allen, Nadeau, Gray, Pinto, Lewis George, Frumin, and Parker.

Need To Reach Me Or A Member Of My Team?

  PERSONAL OFFICE STAFF

Robert White | Councilmember | rwhite@dccouncil.gov

Angela Fowlkes | Chief of Staff | afowlkes@dccouncil.gov

Katie Whitehouse | Legislative Director | kwhitehouse@dccouncil.gov

Andre Strickland | Constituent Services Director | astrickland@dccouncil.gov

Devon Haynes | Communications Director | dhaynes@dccouncil.gov

Lisa Wright | Legislative Assistant | lwright@dccouncil.gov

Sam Walden | Office Manager | swalden@dccouncil.gov

HOUSING COMMITTEE STAFF

Shawn Hilgendorf | Committee Director | shilgendorf@dccouncil.gov

Sean Cuddihy | Deputy Committee Director | scuddihy@dccouncil.gov

Neah Evering | Legislative Counsel | nevering@dccouncil.gov

Caitlin Cocilova | Legislative Counsel | ccocilova@dccouncil.gov