Director’s Message
Welcome to the BHWET web page. The BHWET Program was a four-year workforce development program funded by the federal agency Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to prepare the next generation of behavioral healthcare professionals to specialize in culturally responsive services that support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) as well as LGBTQ+ children, adolescents and transitional-age youth and families. This interprofessional program was a collaborative initiative and included graduate students from the College of Social Work, the College of Nursing (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program), and the College of Education and Human Ecology School Psychology Program.
The BHWET program focused on improving workforce diversity, expanding specialization tracks for graduate level students, improving students’ competency, and workforce growth & sustainability. Recognizing the interprofessional nature of behavioral health services, the BHWET program created a specialization track for graduate students in social work, nursing, and school psychology to gain skills through an interprofessional seminar series, specialized training, supervision, and a targeted practicum/clinical experience to provide culturally respectful, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and inclusive behavioral healthcare services to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and their families.
To facilitate a continuum of culturally respectful, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and inclusive behavioral health services to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and their families, the BHWET program created open access, no cost, continuing education opportunities for behavioral health professionals in the community. These trainings include these topics: (1) Working with BIPOC Youth and Families, (2) Evidence-Based Practice with the LGBTQ Population, (3) Improving Healing Outcomes in Behavioral Health Treatment for Disempowered Youth, and (4) Centering Collective Trauma Care and Healing.
Community partnership in workforce development was crucial to the relevance of this program in serving BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and their families. Rooted in a collaborative and community-based spirit, the BHWET program engaged community voices and expertise via partnership with community agencies and an Advisory Council in designing and developing programmatic components for this workforce development program.
In addition to information on the BHWET program and for BHWET graduates, this website contains information on behavioral health agencies that support and provide culturally respectful services to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and their families as well as resources and open access continuing education opportunities for behavioral health professionals in the community.
Our best hope is that you will find this website useful and relevant whether you are community members locating BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth-friendly behavioral health agencies, behavioral health professionals or BHWET graduates locating helpful resources.
BHWET Program Director
Here’s what students shared about the program
“I’m still so glad I was able to be a part of this. I have used something from this program every day now as a therapist in Colorado.” – Marian Yacovella, Cohort 1
“I use things I learned from BHWET daily working with teens and their families.” – Shannon Healy, Cohort 2
“BHWET was definitely a highlight of my grad school experience and I look back on it fondly!” – Katie Kuhlwein, Cohort 2
Agencies and organizations that provide or
endorse providing culturally responsive behavioral health care
- Asian American Community Services (Opens in a new window)
- The Buckeye Ranch (Opens in a new window)
- Catalyst Counseling, LLC (Opens in a new window)
- Catalyst Life Services (Opens in a new window)
- Columbus City Schools (Opens in a new window)
- Columbus Springs (Opens in a new window)
- Community and Youth Collaborative Institute (CAYCI) (Opens in a new window)
- Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices (Opens in a new window)
- The Counseling Source (Opens in a new window)
- Directions for Youth and Families (Opens in a new window)
- The Emily Program (Opens in a new window)
- Equitas Health (Opens in a new window)
- Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS) (Opens in a new window)
- Franklinton High School (Opens in a new window)
- Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools (Opens in a new window)
- Harding Hospital (Opens in a new window)
- Hopewell Health Centers (Opens in a new window)
- The James Cancer Hospital (Opens in a new window)
- Kaleidoscope Youth Center (Opens in a new window)
- Maryhaven (Opens in a new window)
- Matrix Psychological Associates (Easton) (Opens in a new window)
- Mighty Crow LLC (Opens in a new window)
- Netcare Access (Opens in a new window)
- NYAP (Opens in a new window)
- Ohio Department of Veterans Services (Opens in a new window)
- OhioGuidestone (Opens in a new window)
- Ohio MENTOR by Sevita (Opens in a new window)
- Ohio State East Hospital (Opens in a new window)
- Ohio State Nisonger Center (Opens in a new window)
- OSU Medical Center (Opens in a new window)
- Sojourner Recovery Services (Opens in a new window)
- South Community (Opens in a new window)
- Southeast (Opens in a new window)
- Syntero (Opens in a new window)
BHWET Cohorts
| Cohort 1 2021-22 | Cohort 2 2022-23 | Cohort 3 2023-24 | Cohort 4 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christina Bayes | MacKenzie Arnold | Christy Bowen | Adegbemisola Adeduro |
| Michael Davis | Taylor Battle | Mya Dirksen | Jasmine Ahmad |
| Amany Elsayed | Becca Beech | Paul Dravillas | Kara Anand-Gall |
| Monique Graves | Morgan Bumgarner | Austi Hardy | Joshua D Beltran |
| Anna Hastings | Rebecca Fisher | Madison Harris | Dominique Bevelle |
| Danyell Herring | Anna Fletcher | Chelsea Herrin | Bella Busch |
| Alison Humphreys | Alexis Fry | Kayla Hopkins | Megan Chunias |
| Taylor Jobe | Katharine Hamilton | Mel McDonald | Melissa Devore |
| Lily Keller | Shannon Healy | Kendra Neal | Giavanna Edgell |
| Shannon Kiger | La’Kira Jordan | Tainesha Owens | Marlee Franklin-Calhoun |
| Laura Kington | Katie Kuhlwein | Halsy Paxton | April Gargac |
| Tyler Leonhart | Hannah Kutz | James Reed | Bailey Hill |
| Julianne McConeghey | Rashan Legard | Alison Reynolds | Ray Mathew-Santhosham |
| Maya Topps | Mackenzie Nester | Geo Rinker | Devon Morgan |
| Sly Worthy Jr. | Gillian Sapp | Malorie Robbins | Alana Naylor |
| Kora Wetzel | Gabriella Schnaidt | Kenya Scott | Julia Patterson |
| Marian Yacovella | Tasha Scott | Parker Stephens | Brigid Simmons |
| Dana Shkokani | Yuki Takezawa | Ramona Stephenson |
| Cohort 1 2021-22 | Cohort 2 2022-23 | Cohort 3 2023-24 | Cohort 4 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avery Anderson | Ryan Bush | Rachel Brown | Adam Barstow |
| Olivia Cook | Brianna Cassidy | Windy Hawkins | Vanessa Bose |
| Adam Metzger | Sydney Lahre | Rekia Hill | Liesa Boyd |
| Logan Prior | Kristy Reel | Amanda Polizzi | Mai Cooper |
| Stacey Smith | Jennifer Reichert | Jacob Spaulding-Schecter | Markeeta Evans |
| Sherry Wach | Brittany Silverman | Kelly King | |
| Taylor Schwein | Callie Mitchell | ||
| Carly Schmelzer |
| Cohort 1 2021-22 | Cohort 2 2022-23 | Cohort 3 2023-24 | Cohort 4 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kayla Lee | Kristyn Goodwin | Shanterica Blake | Alanis De La Cruz Pérez |
TRAININGS
Evidence-Based Practice with the LGBTQ Population.
This CE/Non CE training will increase your knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community and support your ability to create safe, affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ clients by addressing the impacts of systemic oppression, minority stress, and trauma within diverse client systems.
No cost or $35 for CEUs
Upcoming Trainings
- Working with BIPOC Youth and Families
- Improving Healing Outcomes in Behavioral Health Treatment for Disempowered Youth
- Centering Collective Trauma Care and Healing
BHWET Year 4 Evaluation Report
The data suggests that the first year of the BHWET program implementation was quite successful, demonstrating benefits on student self-efficacy and skills in providing culturally responsive mental and behavioral health services for the grant’s target populations. Students also shared the value they placed on what they learned and how they grew from participating in the program.
BHWET Results to Date
RESOURCES
Building Authentic Relationships: Creating a Supportive Environment for Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color—ProQuest. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://www.proquest.com/docview/2832985750?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses
DiMartino, B. (2021). Depression and Utilization of Mental Health Services Among BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Communities in the United States. Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects. https://dc.suffolk.edu/undergrad/10
Frederick, J., Spratt, T., & Devaney, J. (2023). Supportive Relationships with Trusted Adults for Children and Young People Who Have Experienced Adversities: Implications for Social Work Service Provision. The British Journal of Social Work, 53(6), 3129–3145. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad107
Green, A. L., Hatton, H., Stegenga, S. M., Eliason, B., & Nese, R. N. T. (2021). Examining Commitment to Prevention, Equity, and Meaningful Engagement: A Review of School District Discipline Policies. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 23(3), 137–148. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300720951940
Onset, Comorbidity, and Predictors of Nicotine, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use Disorders Among North American Indigenous Adolescents | Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10802-018-0500-0
‘The Talk’: Risk, Racism and Family Relationships—Alice Baderin, 2023. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/doi/full/10.1177/00323217221074894
Thomas, M. O., & Thomas Jr, C. H. (2022). From Urban Places to Outdoor Spaces: Field-Tested Practices for Engaging BIPOC Youth and Diversifying Outdoor Recreation. Frontiers in Communication, 6, 736252. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.736252
Understanding the Mental Health Needs and Technological Treatment Implications for Vulnerable Youth: A Focus Group with Practitioners. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://kb.osu.edu/items/5d4c95c2-8ebe-4a18-9117-23411c573001
Veal, S. (2022). WE Program Training Manual For Culturally Responsive School-Based Mental Health Practices. Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1909
Wang, T., Ellison, C., Ducheny, K., Lytle, O., Van Serke, H., Lackey, S., Schafer, T., & Mahmood, U. (n.d.). Assessing Need and Access to LGBTQ+ Affirming and Affordable Behavioral Healthcare in Chicago. Howard Brown Health’s Center for Education, Research, and Advocacy. Assessing-Need-and-Access-to-LGBTQ-to-Healthcare-Howard-Brown-Health.pdf (namiillinois.org)
Behavioral health disparities in Appalachia and rural Ohio , Kyle Thompson, Policy Associate, March 25, 2024
Best Practice HighlightsAppalachian Patients, Myra Elder, Ph.D., James Griffith, M.D., Richard L. Merkel Jr., M.D., Ph.D., & Diana M. Robinson, M.D.
Note regarding HB68: On 8/6/2024 Republican Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook vacated the temporary restraining order on House Bill 68, essentially banning components of gender affirming care for minors (blockers, HRT, surgery) in the State of Ohio. The fate of the bill remains undetermined at this time, with ACLU planning to appeal. Although there is a legacy clause, resources on this guide will likely be impacted.
https://2024ohiotransguide.tiiny.site/
Interested in learning more?
Please contact Nancy Yates, MSSA, LISW, BHWET Program Manager
yates.225@osu.edu or 614-688-0868