New England College Announces Exclusive Partnership with DHHS to Strengthen Mental Health Workforce in New Hampshire

The organizations will work together to provide training for the College’s new cooperative bachelor’s degree in community mental health.

To help resolve the shortage of mental health professionals in the Granite State, New England College (NEC) announces its exclusive partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to educate and train future community mental health professionals.

This partnership offers a cooperative learning model for students in NEC’s new Bachelor of Arts in Community Mental Health program that launches this fall. Students will combine traditional classroom learning with two paid immersive working experiences, or co-ops, at mental health facilities that contract with DHHS. Each co-op will provide students with the opportunity to “earn while they learn” by working 20+ hours per week at approximately $20+ per hour. Students will deliver client care, help with daily activities in the community, and perhaps even run group counseling sessions—all real-world learning experiences that will prepare students for employment after graduation.

“The value of this new program and its cooperative model cannot be overstated,” stated Steve Arnault, Vice President of Clinical Services, Quality and Compliance at the Center for Life Management, one of 10 mental health centers that contract with DHHS. “NEC students who work with us will help bridge the gap of a tremendous workforce shortage and help us fulfill our mission to promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and organizations. At the same time, these students will be prepared to more easily move into full-time work with a partner organization once they graduate from NEC.”

Students in NEC’s cooperative Bachelor of Arts in Community Mental Health will complete 30 credits through their immersive experiences with mental health facilities. They will also gain a deeper understanding of their field of interest and build their résumés while pursuing their education.

“I am very pleased to connect those NEC students keen on serving the mental health needs of Granite Staters with those professionals around the state working so hard to address the growing challenges associated with mental healthcare,” explained Dr. Wayne Lesperance, President of New England College. “Our partnership with DHHS offers students a meaningful and defined career path where they will earn while they learn as they work towards graduation.”

Learn more about NEC’s cooperative Bachelor of Arts in Community Mental Health and apply.