Behavioral Health Service Corps℠ in Rhode Island

Students enrolled in the BHSC-RI Program are eligible to receive a $500 recruitment bonus during the fall semester and a $500 retention bonus during the spring semester. These incentives are designed to support student engagement, persistence, and successful progression through the program.

William James College offers the Behavioral Health Service Corps Rhode Island (BHSC-RI) Alumni Scholarship to support graduates of the program who continue their education at the College. The BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship reflects the College’s commitment to strengthening the behavioral health workforce and supporting future professionals who are dedicated to improving access to behavioral health services and serving communities with limited access to care.

Eligible BHSC-RI alumni may receive a one-time scholarship award of up to $10,000, distributed over the course of their enrollment in graduate degree programs at William James College. Scholarship funds are intended to help offset the cost of tuition and fees and are contingent upon continued enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, compliance with scholarship requirements, and the availability of institutional funding.

To be considered for the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be admitted to, enroll in, and commence graduate training in a WJC degree program within one year of completing the BHSC-RI Program. Individuals who defer enrollment beyond the one-year eligibility period will not be eligible for the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship.
• Have completed a full-time, year-long work placement (i.e., a minimum of 1,600 hours)at an agency that is approved by the BHSC.
• Have received passing grades and earned 6 credits in the two courses offered through the BHSC.
• Have participated in all group supervision and professional development activities offered through the BHSC.
• Have actively engaged in mentorship and career counseling services offered through the BHSC.
• Have received a Certificate of Program Completion following their year-long enrollment in the BHSC program.

Note: BHSC-RI graduates who complete some, but not all, of the program requirements listed above are not eligible for the scholarship. 

Additionally, eligible BHSC-RI graduates must:

• Demonstrate a commitment to improving access to behavioral health services and supporting individuals, families, and communities with unmet behavioral health needs.
• Express an interest in working with groups and populations that experience barriers to accessing behavioral health care.
• Have a strong commitment to providing behavioral health services in a community health center or at a community-based agency.

Candidates for the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarships Program must fill out an application form and participate in an interview to determine their eligibility for the scholarship. All applications will be reviewed by the staff in the Center for Workforce Development (CWD), and scholarship awards will be determined based on eligibility, program alignment, and available funding.

For more information about the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarships Program or to obtain the link to the application portal, please email workforce@williamjames.edu.

Scholarship Requirements

As a condition of receiving the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship, awardees are expected to participate in professional development and other scholarship-related activities offered through the CWD and other departments at WJC. Awardees are also required to complete surveys, assessments, and other data collection activities that support program evaluation, workforce development initiatives, and continuous quality improvement efforts.

Scholarship Limitations

The BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship is supported through institutional funding and is contingent upon the availability of funds. While WJC intends to provide scholarship support to eligible BHSC-RI alumni, scholarship funding is not guaranteed and remains subject to available institutional resources.

Students who receive the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship are not eligible to receive additional institution-sponsored, merit-based, partnership-based, or program-specific William James College scholarships or awards, including but not limited to Behavioral Health Initiative (BHI) scholarships and similar tuition-reduction programs. No other William James College scholarship, award, tuition reduction, or institutional financial incentive may be combined with the BHSC-RI Alumni Scholarship.