BH Fellows Program Gets Two-Year Extension to Continue to Support Frontline Behavioral Health Workforce
Type: News
Focus Area: Workforce Development
Participants of the BH Fellows program share words that describe their experience with and the impact of the program.
At a time when behavioral health services are more essential than ever, the BH Fellows program is supporting more individuals as they enter the community-based behavioral health workforce. The BH Fellows program—a program of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services in partnership with Community Care Behavioral Health and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation—will continue recruiting cohorts through 2026 as part of the program’s two-year extension. BH Fellows offers student loan repayment and training opportunities for frontline workers in high-need areas, including crisis services and outpatient care. This expansion reflects the positive impacts the program has had upon its participants and the participating providers’ ability to recruit and retain workers in the behavioral health system.
The first two cohorts of the BH Fellows program join together for a training in 2023.
Since launching in 2023, BH Fellows has helped reduce vacancies in key roles by recruiting and supporting more than 120 professionals—from therapists to peer specialists—through a unique blend of financial incentives and professional development. Over 1,300 people and families in Allegheny County have received uninterrupted care that they otherwise would not have thanks to the BH Fellows program. Approximately $4.4 million in student loan debt repayment funds have been pledged for fellows in the first six cohorts, enabling one in four to have all their student debt paid off and approximately two in three to have more than half of their student debt paid off.
Participants in BH Fellows must commit to work in a key community-based role at an approved provider for two years; in exchange, they receive student loan repayment support of up to $45,000, a competitive salary, and access to a vibrant, peer-driven training cohort. Most importantly, fellows gain the skills and support needed to thrive in the vital work they do every day.
This two-year expansion ensures that even more dedicated individuals will have the opportunity to grow their careers while making a difference in the lives of others. Originally planned to support 5 cohorts, the program now expects to host 11 cohorts, with ongoing recruitment taking place through the end of 2026.
