Project Grant M0255244

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), through its Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training Grants program (CFDA 93.732), awarded a $320,000 Project Grant to Strength In Peers Inc., a non-profit organization in northwestern Virginia. This grant will fund a structured six-month internship program that prepares Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS) to serve in high-need and high-demand behavioral health settings, particularly in underserved rural communities and among populations affected by mental health and substance use disorders, including children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth. The program will train up to 16 interns per year, providing them with 500 hours of supervised, hands-on learning and didactic coursework aligned with Virginia's CPRS certification requirements. The interns will rotate through diverse training sites, including Strength In Peers' own community resource centers, to gain real-world experience supporting individuals with complex needs and exposure to integrated care models and inter-professional collaboration. This grant aims to expand and strengthen the paraprofessional behavioral health workforce in underserved areas.