‘Grow your own’: Stanislaus adopts model for behavioral health workforce expansion
Partner organizations in San Joaquin County are highlighting progress with a behavioral health workforce expansion project and are bringing the model to Stanislaus County.
California has a shortage of mental health professionals and job vacancy rates are a crisis in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, according to San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services and the nonprofit HealthForce Partners California.
The two agencies have collaborated with community organizations in the San Joaquin Behavioral Health Workforce Partnership Project, which is taking the approach of developing local talent to grow the workforce in this region.
A recent white paper report showed the progress in tackling the behavioral health workforce challenges in the Stockton and Modesto areas. San Joaquin County’s behavioral health department filled 22 of 36 vacancies for clinicians, and the project placed 96 trainees in internships after addressing a longstanding problem of finding credentialed supervisors for interns.
More than $1 million in scholarships were awarded to students wanting to enter the mental health or substance use disorder fields. San Joaquin Delta College and University of the Pacific, as well as Stanislaus State University’s Stockton campus, expanded behavioral health training for students.
Last year, the Modesto City Council approved $500,000 to help with expanding this effort into Stanislaus County. It’s not only about creating job opportunities, but success is expected to broaden access to care and improve outcomes for those who struggle with mental illness or substance use disorders.
The City Council approved an agreement in June 2024 with United Way of San Joaquin for the Stanislaus County Behavioral Health Workforce Partnership Project. The $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds will support healthcare employees wanting to earn advanced degrees to work as behavioral health clinicians.
The city said the funding was consistent with ARPA goals to contribute to workforce development, support local businesses and drive economic growth as Modesto recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Counties in the Northern San Joaquin Valley have among the lowest number of behavioral health providers in the state. The scholarships in San Joaquin County were awarded to graduate students seeking degrees in social work, counseling and marriage and family therapy.
Across the state, the behavioral health field suffers from burnout, retirements and premature departures from the profession. At the same time, the effects of the COVID pandemic, substance use and homelessness has exacerbated the need for behavioral health services.
HealthForce Partners worked on addressing a longstanding problem: The shortage of behavioral health providers has meant they’re not available to supervise internships for students who need training in clinics to complete their graduate programs. HealthForce Partners supported the hiring of three field supervisors to guide interns at county behavioral health, Children’s Home of Stockton and other training sites.
More than 45% of interns were hired in San Joaquin County after one year and 80% accepted positions within two years.
According to the report, newly licensed personnel filled vacancies at the county behavioral health department, serving to reduce caseloads for clinicians by almost 60%.
Financial incentives for expanding the workforce included stipends, retention bonuses and scholarships. Rather than recruiting qualified professionals from outside the region, the initiative focused on local talent and created a pathway to advanced degrees and professional licenses for current residents and employees.
The initiative also achieved a 70% reduction in vacancies for psychiatric technicians, who usually require an associate college degree. The project gave retention bonuses to 33 psychiatric technicians.
Based on the progress in the past two years, the white paper recommended more regional cooperation to expand the professional workforce. “This model can be scaled to serve additional communities and help build a strong, community-anchored behavioral health workforce for the future,” the report concluded.
Initiative expands to Stanislaus County
Paul Lanning, director of HealthForce Partners, said the expansion has begun in earnest in Stanislaus County.
A supervision team was assembled this fall for students in the master’s of social work program at Stanislaus State University in Turlock. The effort includes expanded job placement opportunities.
Lanning said 28 interns have been placed in the last month. Of the $500,000 contribution from Modesto, $200,000 is allocated to scholarships for local residents. The strategy is “growing your own” behavioral health workforce in each county and retaining those employees.
Lanning said most of the Stanislaus interns were placed at nonprofit organizations and a couple were placed at county agencies. Discussions are under way to create a more extensive relationship with county Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.
The graduate-level interns lighten the load for clinicians who work for community-based organizations. The nonprofit agencies can expand capacity at little cost, Lanning said.
Internship begins for MSW student
Yaritza Mora received a $5,000 scholarship through Stanislaus State and began an internship at Golden Valley Health Centers in late September. Golden Valley’s system of clinics provides health care and mental health services to disadvantaged residents.
Mora said last week she’s shadowing clinicians and getting familiar with Golden Valley’s procedures. The internship will provide her with clinical training through May.
“I know this is a good route to getting licensed and going into the field,” said Mora, a Bakersfield native who earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Merced. “I feel I have an opportunity here and with Golden Valley. We’ve already had that conversation about (working for Golden Valley) and it should make for an easier onboarding process.”
Mora said she enjoys using her education to diagnose symptoms of mental health issues.
The graduate student said she doesn’t have much income support and the $5,000 scholarship will help with completing her studies, “so I’m not stressed about work or my next meal.”
Stanislaus State and UOP are seeing growth in enrollment from students wanting to go into social work.
According to information from Stanislaus State, at least 10 scholarships per year, up to $5,000, will be awarded to eligible students in the university’s MSW program. Preferences are given to students in the Modesto or greater Stanislaus County area and to those working at county BHRS or an approved community-based organization in this county.
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
