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Building and Training Primary Care and Behavioral Health Workforce

This category of Statewide Investments focusses on building and strengthening the primary care, behavioral health, and frontline workforce across the state. Programs are aimed at recruitment, retention, and training of a wide range of provider types in community-based settings and Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and Community Partner (CP) sites. Information about each program, including awardees, can be found below.

Table of Contents

A group of health care providers.

Student Loan Repayment Program (SWI 1a)

MassHealth’s Student Loan Repayment Program aims to reduce the shortage of primary care providers and licensed behavioral health professionals in community-based primary care and behavioral health settings across Massachusetts.

The program accomplishes this goal by repaying a portion of the student loan obligations of providers, who are selected via a competitive process, in exchange for their four year commitment to practice in a community setting.

The program also offers quarterly “Learning Days” to enhance the commitment of participating providers to community-based careers.

MassHealth is working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to administer this program. The Association for Behavioral Healthcare serves in an advisory role. Four award cycles are anticipated over the five year period of the DSRIP program. More information about the program, including instructions for applicants, can be found here.

Program Data
Application Release Date March 15, 2018
Application Deadline April 17, 2018
Applications Received 117
Slots Awarded 70
Total Amount Awarded Up to $2,500,000 over two years

Organizations with Providers Receiving Student Loan Repayment Awards:

Student Loan Repayment (MD/PhD; 20 total awards)

  • Behavioral Health Network, Inc. (1 award)
  • Cambridge Health Alliance (6 awards)
  • Codman Square Community Health Center (1 award)
  • East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (1 award)
  • Eliot Community Human Services (1 award)
  • Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center (1 award)
  • Lahey Health Behavioral Services (1 award)
  • Manet Community Health Center (1 award)
  • Massachusetts General Hospital Health Centers (4 awards)
  • The Dimock Center (3 awards)

Student Loan Repayment Program (NP, PA, APRN, PCNS; 13 total awards)

  • Bay Cove Human Services (1 award)
  • Brookside Community Health Center (1 award)
  • Cambridge Health Alliance (4 awards)
  • Codman Square Community Health Center (1 award)
  • Community Counseling of Bristol County (1 award)
  • Manet Community Health Center (1 award)
  • North Shore Community Health (1 awards)
  • North Suffolk Mental Health Association  (1 award)
  • The Dimock Center (2 awards)

Student Loan Repayment Program (LICSW, LMHC, LCSW, LMFT, LADC1; 37 total awards)

  • BAMSI Adult Day Treatment Center (1 award)
  • Bowdoin Street Health Center (2 awards)
  • Brockton Neighborhood Health Center (1 award)
  • Cambridge Health Alliance (1 award)
  • Clinical and Support Options (1 award)
  • Codman Square Community Health Center (1 award)
  • Community Healthlink (1 award)
  • Community Services Institute (1 award)
  • Fenway Health (2 awards)
  • Gandara Center (3 awards)
  • Institute for Health & Recovery (1 award)
  • Justice Resource Institute (1 award)
  • Lahey Health Behavioral Services (4 awards)
  • Lowell Community Health Center (1 award)
  • Lowell Community Health Center's Metta Health Center (1 award)
  • Lynn Community Health Center (1 award)
  • Massachusetts General Hospital Health Centers (3 awards)
  • North Suffolk Mental Health Association (1 award)
  • Riverside Community Care (2 awards)
  • Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center - Brigham and Women's Hospital (2 awards)
  • The Dimock Center (1 award)
  • The Home for Little Wanderers (1 award)
  • Vinfen (1 award)
  • Wayside Youth & Family Support Network (2 awards)
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Behavioral Health Workforce Development Program (SWI 1b)

MassHealth’s Behavioral Health Workforce Development Program aims to address the shortage of behavioral health providers practicing in community-based behavioral health settings.

The program accomplishes this goal by offering partial repayment of student loan obligations for masters-prepared behavioral health providers who commit to four years of service at a community-based behavioral health organization.

The program also offers quarterly “Learning Days” to enhance the commitment of participating providers to community-based careers.

MassHealth is working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to administer this program. The Association for Behavioral Healthcare serves in an advisory role. This program has only one award cycle. 

More information about the program, including instructions for applicants, can be found here.

Program Data
Application Release Date March 15, 2018
Application Deadline April 17, 2018
Applications Received 107
Slots Awarded 43
Amount Awarded per Slot Up to $30,000 over two years
Total Amount Awarded Up to $1,290,000 over two years

Organizations with Behavioral Health Workforce Development Awards:

  • Advocates (1 award)
  • Bay Cove Human Services (4 awards)
  • Bay State Community Services (2 awards)
  • Bay State Community Services Home Based Program (1 award)
  • Behavioral Health Network, Inc. (4 awards)
  • Child & Family Services, Inc. (1 award)
  • Childrens Friend and Family Services, a division of JRI (1 award)
  • Community Healthlink (1 award)
  • Eliot Community Human Services (2 awards)
  • Eliot Community Human Services Everett Outpatient Clinic (1 award)
  • Family Continuity (1 award)
  • Institute for Health & Recovery (2 awards)
  • Justice Resource Institute (3 awards)
  • Lahey Health Behavioral Services (3 awards)
  • Riverside Community Care (3 awards)
  • South Bay Community Services (4 awards)
  • South Shore Mental Health (2 awards)
  • The Brookline Center for Community Mental Health (2 awards)
  • The Home for Little Wanderers (2 awards)
  • Vinfen (3 awards)
  • Wayside Youth & Family Support Network (1 award)

Community Partner (CP) Recruitment Incentive Program (SWI 1c)

MassHealth’s Community Partner (CP) Recruitment Incentive Program aims to assist MassHealth Behavioral Health and Long Term Services and Supports CPs in recruiting and retaining Care Coordinators (CC) and Registered Nurses (RN)/Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) in the first year of the MassHealth CP Program.

The program accomplishes this goal by providing CPs with student loan repayment slots to offer to prospective new hires as incentives in exchange for an eighteen month commitment from CCs or a four-year commitment from RNs/LPNs.

MassHealth is working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to administer this program. The Association for Behavioral Healthcare serves in an advisory role.

This program has only one award cycle.  More information about the program can be found here.

Program Data
    Max Loan Repayment Amount Total Amount Awarded
Application Release Date March 29, 2018    
Application Deadline April 17, 2018    
Care Coordinator Slots Awarded 77 $7,500 $577,500
RN/LPN Slots Awarded 11 $30,000 $330,000
Total Slots Awarded 88    
Total Amount Awarded     $907,500

BH Community Partners and Number of Student Loan Repayment Slots

  • Behavioral Health Network, 4 slots (4 CC)
  • Behavioral Health Partners of Metrowest, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, Inc., 4 slots (4 CC)
  • The Bridge of Central Massachusetts, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • The Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Clinical Support Options, 4 slots (4 CC)
  • Community Care Partners, 3 slots (1 RN, 2 CC)
  • Community Counseling of Bristol County, 4 slots (4 CC)
  • Community Healthlink, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Eliot Community Human Services, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • High Point Treatment Center, 4 slots (4 CC)
  • Innovative Care Partners, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Lowell Community Health Center, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Northeast Behavioral Health Corporation, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Riverside Community Care, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)
  • Southeast Community Partnership, 4 slots (4 CC)
  • South Shore Mental Health Center, 4 slots (4 CC)
  • Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, 3 slots (1 RN/LPN, 2 CC)

LTSS Community Partners and Number of Student Loan Repayment Slots

  • Alternatives Unlimited, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • Boston Medical Center, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • Family Service Association, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • Greater Lynn Senior Services, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • Innovative Care Partners, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • LTSS Care Partners, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • Seven Hills Family Services, 3 slots (3 CC)
  • WestMass Elder Care, 3 slots (3 CC)

Primary Care/Behavioral Health Special Projects Program (SWI 2)

Primary Care/Behavioral Health Special Projects Program

MassHealth’s Primary Care/Behavioral Health Special Projects Program aims to engage and retain primary care and behavioral health providers in community settings across Massachusetts.

The program also aims to support innovative on-the-ground projects that advance the ability of community-based primary care and behavioral health provider organizations to succeed under the new ACO structure.

The program accomplishes these goals by awarding one-year grants to community-based organizations to support provider-led projects related to accountable care implementation. MassHealth is working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to administer this program.

Five award cycles are anticipated over the five year period of the DSRIP program. More information about the program, including instructions for applicants, can be found here.

Program Data
Application Release Date March 27, 2018
Application Deadline April 30, 2018
Applications Received 25
Slots Awarded 23
Amount Awarded per Slot $40,000
Total Amount Awarded $920,000

Organizations with Providers Receiving Special Projects Awards:

  • Advocates, Inc.
  • Bay Cove Human Services
  • Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
  • Bowdoin Street Health Center, Dorchester
  • Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
  • Brookline Community Mental Health Center
  • Center for Human Development
  • Charles River Community Health
  • Community Health Center of Cape Cod
  • Community Health Center of Franklin County
  • Dimock Community Health Center
  • Edward M Kennedy Community Health Center
  • Family Health Center of Worcester
  • Fenway Community Health Center
  • Greater Lawrence Family Health Center
  • Harbor Community Health Center
  • Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center
  • Hilltown Community Health Center
  • Lynn Community Health Center
  • Manet Community Health Center
  • Priority Professional LLC
  • South End Community Health Center
  • Stanley Street Treatment and Resources (SSTAR)

Community-based Training and Recruitment: Family Medicine and NP Residency Training (SWI 3a)

MassHealth’s Family Medicine and Nurse Practitioner Residency Training program aims to increase the number of primary care physicians and nurse practitioners trained in community health centers (CHC), with the broader goal of expanding the pool of providers who are committed to serving underserved populations and well prepared to care for patients in community settings.

The program accomplishes this goal by providing funding to increase the number of available primary care residency training slots in CHCs. MassHealth is working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to administer this program.

The Family Medicine Residency Training Program RFP was released on July 23, 2018, and was due on August 31, 2018. The Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program RFP iwas released on August 24, 2018, and was due on September 28, 2018. MassHealth anticipates investing approximately $2.9 million in the program in the first award cycle.

Two award cycles are anticipated over the five year period of the DSRIP program. When it launches, more information, including instructions for applicants, will be available here.

Family Medicine Residency Program Data

Application Release Date July 23, 2018
Application Deadline August 31, 2018
Applications Received 2
Applications Awarded 2
Amount Awarded per residency slot per year $170,000
Total Amount Awarded $680,000

Family Medicine Residency Program Awardees:

  • The Lawrence Family Medicine Residency (2 residency slots)
  • Boston Medical Center (BMC) Academic Family Medicine Residency Program (2 residency slots)

Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program Data

Application Release Date August 24, 2018
Application Deadline September 28, 2018
Applications Received 6
Applications Awarded 4
Amount Awarded per residency slot per year $105,000
Total Amount Awarded $1,050,000

Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program Awardees:

  • Family Health Center of Worcester (4 residency slots)
  • Harbor Health Services, Inc. (2 residency slots)
  • North Shore Community Health (2 residency slots)
  • Community Health Connections, Inc. (2 residency slots)

Community-based Training and Recruitment: CMHC Behavioral Health Recruitment Fund (SWI 3b)

MassHealth’s Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) Behavioral Health Recruitment Fund aims to increase the number of psychiatrists and nurse practitioners with prescribing privileges at community mental health centers (CMHC) by diminishing known obstacles to recruitment in these settings.

The program accomplishes this goal by making available “recruitment packages” of student loan repayment and provider-led special project funding that CMHCs can offer as recruitment incentives to prospective new hires. MassHealth is working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to administer this program. The Association for Behavioral Healthcare serves in an advisory role.

Two award cycles are anticipated over the five year period of the DSRIP program. More information about the program, including instructions for applicants, can be found here.

Program Data

Application Release Date June 4, 2018
Application Deadline August 15, 2018
Applications Received 14
Applications Awarded 12
Amount Awarded per Slot $75,000 (Psychiatrist); $55,000 (NP)
Total Amount Awarded $800,000 in Year One

CMHC BH Recruitment Fund Awardees:

  • Behavioral Health Network (1NP)
  • Community Healthlink (1NP)
  • Gandara Center (1 NP)
  • Lahey Behavioral Health (1 Psychiatrist)
  • Martha's Vineyard Community Services Island Counseling Center (1 NP)
  • NFI Massachusetts (1 NP)
  • North Suffolk Mental Health Association (1 Psychiatrist)
  • ServiceNet (1 Psychiatrist)
  • South Shore Mental Health Recruitment Center (1 Psychiatrist)
  • The Bridge of Central Massachusetts (1 Psychiatrist)
  • The Brien Center (1 Psychiatrist)
  • YOU Inc. (1 Psychiatrist)

Workforce Development Grant Program: CHW Training Capacity Expansion Grants (SWI 4a)

MassHealth’s Community Health Worker Training Capacity Expansion Grants aim to increase the number of well-prepared community health workers (CHWs) in ACOs and CPs.

The program accomplishes this goal by awarding one-year grants to CHW core competency training programs to increase the number of training slots available to train CHWs employed by provider entities in ACOs and CPs. The program will create an additional 200 CHW core competency training slots in its first year.

MassHealth is working with Commonwealth Corporation and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to administer this program. More information about the program, including instructions for applicants, can be found here

Program Data

Application Release Date July 10, 2018
Application Deadline August 30, 2018
Applications Received 10
Applications Awarded 6
Amount Awarded per training cycle $40,000
Total Amount Awarded $320,000

CHW Training Program Expansion Grant Awardees:

  • Cambridge Public Health Commission/Cambridge Health Alliance
  • Lowell Community Health Center
  • Boston Public Health Commission
  • Center for Health Impact
  • Holyoke Community College
  • Justice Resource Institute

Workforce Development Grant Program: Peer Specialist Training Capacity Expansion Grant (SWI 4b)

MassHealth’s Peer Specialist Training Capacity Expansion Grant aims to increase the number of well-trained Peer Specialists in ACOs and CPs.

Peer specialists are individuals who have lived experience with serious mental illness and are trained to share their understanding of the behavioral health system with members.

This program will award a one-year grant to the Transformation Center, the sole Peer Specialist training program in Massachusetts, to increase the number of training slots available for Peer Specialists employed by provider entities in ACOs and CPs with approved workforce development plans.

The anticipated grant amount is $224,000 thousand.

MassHealth is working with Commonwealth Corporation and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to administer this program. More information about the program can be found here.

Workforce Development Grant Program: CHW Supervisors Training Program Grant (SWI 4c)

Workforce Development Grant Program: CHW Supervisors Training Program Grant (SWI 4c)

MassHealth’s Community Health Worker Supervisor Training Program Grant aims to strengthen the community health worker (CHW) workforce and improve the effectiveness and retention of CHWs in MassHealth ACOs and CPs by expanding capacity and access to training for supervisors of CHWs.

The program is awarding a grant to a training program with expertise in training CHWs to design and implement a training program for CHW supervisors employed by provider entities in ACOs and CPs with approved workforce development DSRIP plans.

MassHealth is working with Commonwealth Corporation and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to administer this program. More information about the program, including access to the "Successful Supervision with Community Health Workers" curriculum package, can be found here.

CHW Supervisor Training Program Grant Awardees:

  • Center for Health Impact

Workforce Development Grant Program: Recovery Coach Supervisor Training Incentive Fund (SWI 4d)

MassHealth’s Recovery Coach Supervisor Training Incentive Fund aims to increase the number of certified recovery coach supervisors in ACOs and CPs. Recovery coaches are individuals who have lived experience with substance use disorder and serve as recovery guides and role models to members, providing nonjudgmental problem solving and advocacy to help members meet their recovery goals.

The program will accomplish this goal by covering the cost of salary replacement and training fees to enable recovery coaches to complete recovery coach supervisor training programs.

Entities engaged in MassHealth payment reform will be eligible to apply for funds to send recovery coach supervisors to training programs approved by the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.

MassHealth will work with Commonwealth Corporation and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to administer this program.

Check this page for more information once the Recovery Coach Supervisor Training Incentive Fund launches.

Workforce Development Grant Program: Competency-Based Training for ACOs and CPs (SWI 4e)

Workforce Development Grant Program: Competency-Based Training for ACOs and CPs (SWI 4e)

MassHealth’s Competency-Based Training Program aims to build the competence and confidence of the frontline healthcare workforce in order to improve their capacity to function at the top of their roles in team-based care models in ACOs and CPs.

It also aims to equip individual program participants with portable and stackable credentials that can help advance their careers and set them on the path to higher education.

The program will engage an experienced nonprofit higher education entity to develop and implement the competency-based training program. The program will also award ACOs and CPs access to training slots and funding to administer a one-on-one coaching component via a competitive process.

MassHealth is working with Commonwealth Corporation and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to administer this program. More information about the program can be found here.

Higher Education Entity Awardee:

  • Southern New Hampshire University

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