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As schools nationwide struggle to meet growing student mental health needs, Nazareth University is leveraging federal funding to help train the next generation of school psychologists.
Through a partnership with a regional consortium of 16 school districts, the university will offer up to 10 graduate students $25,000 stipends while creating new pathways into a profession facing significant workforce shortages.
The stipends, given to Nazareth grad students in their third year of the program, are supported by a highly competitive U.S. Department of Education School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) grant with the goal of expanding access to school-based mental health services.
Tom Lappas
Nazareth is partnering with the Franklinville Central School District in Cattaraugus County, one of 39 districts nationally to receive the federal grant. Franklinville leads a consortium of 16 other schools in the area that will collaborate to expand access to comprehensive, school-based mental health services for students and families.
The consortium includes many school districts around the Rochester area, such as Lyons, Romulus, Rush-Henrietta, Geneva, Newark, Williamson, Wayland-Cohocton, Greece, East Irondequoit, Gates Chili and Canisteo-Greenwood, as well as Belfast and Cuba-Rushford school districts in Allegany County and Ellicottville and West Valley in Cattaraugus County.
The SBMH Grant Program is designed to increase the number, diversity and capacity of school-based mental health professionals by supporting high-quality training programs and strong partnerships between school districts and institutions of higher education.
“We are very excited about this partnership not only for the financial support it will provide our students in their third year, but for the professional development and mentorship opportunities that are such an important part of the initiative,” said Tom Lappas, dean of Nazareth University’s College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business and Education.
Nazareth’s school psychology master’s program, along with Alfred University, will collaborate with the regional school districts to place graduate-level school psychology interns in schools beginning in fall 2028. The interns, supervised by certified professionals, will provide individual and small-group counseling and early intervention support to address students’ mental health needs.
The grant also includes the Grow Your Own behavioral health pathway developed by the New York State Mental Health Alliance to create a local pipeline of future mental health professionals.
Through this pathway, high school students will participate in career-connected coursework, dual enrollment opportunities, and early exposure to behavioral health careers, building interest and access to the profession within participating communities.
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