Behavioral Health Service Corps℠
Career Ladder Program
Unlock Your Potential with a (Free) Gap Year in Mental Health!
Guaranteed Job Placement and Graduate Credits
Are you a passionate, service-minded individual? Are you interested in a career in mental health? Take the next step in your professional and educational journey and join the Behavioral Health Service Corps℠ (BHSC).
We're looking for talented college graduates who desire to work in underserved communities and make a difference in the lives of others. You'll gain hands-on experience, earn a salary, and get credit toward your master's degree. The BHSC program is offered in two locations: BHSC-Massachusetts and BHSC-Rhode Island. Read on to learn more about how this program can shape your career.
Make a Difference
More than 1 in 5 children and adults have behavioral health problems that impact their work, education and family life. About one-quarter of Massachusetts residents who seek behavioral health treatment are unable to secure an appointment—and for those seeking a provider with expertise in working with children or seniors, or who come from a similar cultural background, the process of finding a provider is even more complicated. Few clinicians treat children or seniors, and nearly ninety percent of behavioral health professionals nationwide are non-Latino Caucasian.
The William James College Behavioral Health Service Corps℠ offers you an introduction to this important healthcare field and the opportunity to help.
“Being a part of this program has definitely opened my eyes to what the field was like, but also my place in the field. I really came to this program to strengthen my clinical skills and to become a well-versed clinician. My previous work has been very much community service-based so a really big draw to the program was how I am able to work in communities that are underserved.”
Capryce Browne
Behavioral Health Service Corps℠ Student
Gain Hands-On Experience with a Guaranteed Job
and Earn While You Learn
- Participate in a skills-based orientation training at the start of the program.
- Complete a year-long, full-time placement (i.e., a minimum of 1,600 hours) at a partner agency in a bachelor's level position.
- Earn a full-time salary and benefits while working to support individuals and groups in historically underserved communities.
- Provide a variety of services to patients, clients, and/or families in settings that include inpatient units, home-based programs, schools, and residential treatment and recovery centers, among others.
- Earn up to six free graduate credits taking two courses as non-matriculating students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s program at William James College. Note that employer partners will allow four hours of release time for coursework and professional development activities.
- Receive group supervision, mentorship, and career counseling support throughout the year-long experiential training.
Fridays will be reserved for academic training, mentorship, professional development, and supervisory-related activities. Students will be enrolled in either a morning or an afternoon cohort.
Morning Cohort: Remote on Zoom every Friday from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET
- Academic Courses: Fall and Spring Semesters (one course in the fall, one course in
the spring)
- Delivered remotely on Zoom every Friday from 9:00 – 11:50 AM ET
- Alternating Professional Development and Group Supervision Activities: Fall and Spring
Semesters
- Delivered remotely via Zoom every Friday from 12:00-12:45 PM ET
Afternoon Cohort: Remote on Zoom every Friday from 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET
- Academic Courses: Fall and Spring Semesters (one course in the fall, one course in
the spring)
- Delivered remotely on Zoom from 2:00 – 4:50 PM ET
- Alternating Professional Development and Group Supervision Activities: Fall and Spring
Semesters
- Delivered remotely on Zoom from 1:00 – 1:45 PM ET
Enroll in two courses at William James College. Courses are designed to complement and enhance the employment experience and the six credits earned during the service year can be applied towards a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Employers allot four hours per week of work release time for BHSC Students to participate in coursework, didactic training, and professional development activities.
Students work side by-side with behavioral health professionals who have committed their lives to serving the needs of others, giving students the opportunity to learn through direct mentoring and also the opportunity to make an impact through their own work. In addition, Students live and learn in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and connect with peers who share the same commitment to service.
Work with One of Our Agency Partners in Massachusetts or Rhode Island
We're excited to offer two cohorts of the BHSC program every fall.
Hands-on Experience in Mental Health
Graduate Credits
A Pathway into the Field
Paid Opportunities
While the core experience is the same at both locations, each program provides unique scholarships and benefits to support your growth. Learn more about what each location has to offer!
Want to Work in Massachusetts?
Want to Work in Rhode Island?
Around campus, in the community, in the news—William James College community members are leading the conversation.
8 Reasons to Take a Gap Year with William James College
The Behavioral Health Service Corps at William James College is a year-long, paid, service-learning opportunity. If you are considering taking a gap year after your undergraduate program or are looking for a career change, the BHSC might be the perfect program for you. Read on to see just some of the reasons to take a gap year with the Behavioral Health Service Corps.
Read MoreThe Unlikeliest of Journeys: William James College Twice Provides a Path Forward for One Reluctant Student
Prior to landing at William James College, Ryan Duquette’s educational path had been hectic and messy—not unlike the birth of his first child which, in retrospect, caused his life’s purpose to snap into sharp focus. “It was not at all a fairy tale experience” he says of his two biggest accomplishments to date: becoming a father and pursuing an education, in order to set an example for his young son.
Read moreBetter Together: BHSC Partners with Eliot Community Human Services to Provide College Graduates Paid, Hands-On Experience
Growing up, Carolina Jaldin attributes regular exposure to behavioral health services provided through her school as instrumental in processing some of the trauma she grew up with. “I can't imagine what my childhood would have looked like without the tools to comprehend all of what I was feeling,” says Jaldin, a second-generation immigrant, who was raised by a single mother from Brazil.
Read more