WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The State is offering scholarships of up to $35,000 per student to fund Certified Wellness Coaches. Once certified, these coaches will work with children and youth facing behavioral health challenges. The application period is open through August 16, 2024.
SACRAMENTO – Students throughout the state who want to provide support to children and youth can apply for a state-funded Wellness Coach Scholarship Program. The application period is open now and closes at 3 p.m. on Friday, August 16, 2024.
“The Certified Wellness Coach profession is an integral part of our work to build a stronger, more effective system of behavioral health services and supports for children and youth in California,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “This work has only been possible because of the collaboration of our many partners, and we all look forward to the progress ahead.”
“We want to support people in gaining the behavioral health education needed for a rewarding career helping children and youth in marginalized communities,” said HCAI Director Elizabeth Landsberg. “Certified Wellness Coaches can support the well-being of young people through wellness promotion and education, screening, care coordination, individual and group support, and crisis referral. They will work as part of a care team and under the guidance of qualified school professionals or clinicians.”
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: The State continues to make significant investments in youth mental health, recognizing that nearly half of the state’s adolescents struggle with mental health challenges. To support California’s children and youth, Certified Wellness Coaches will help build a larger and more diverse behavioral health workforce with the training and supervision needed to engage directly with young people in a wide variety of settings, such as schools and community-based organizations.
HOW THIS HELPS CALIFORNIANS: Certified Wellness Coaches will add capacity to the hardworking teams of school professionals and clinical staff at community-based organizations. By handling broader, non-clinical services, Wellness Coaches will increase access to key well-being and support services for youth.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Eligible applicants include students enrolled or accepted into an associate or bachelor’s level program in the fields of social work, addiction studies, or human services at a state college or university for the 2024-2025 academic year. After graduation, recipients must be willing to commit to performing a service obligation for one year, which involves working in a position that requires a wellness coach.
The scholarships will support students taking the “Education Pathway” to becoming a Certified Wellness Coach. Because students will be working towards their degrees in the fields of social work, addiction studies, or human services, it is possible for a student to receive more than one annual scholarship. Once their education is complete, they can apply to become certified as a Wellness Coach.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS: The HCAI Certified Wellness Coach scholarships will cover the cost of attendance of one year of an applicant’s education program with a maximum award of $35,000. Cost of attendance includes:
- Tuition and fees
- Room and board
- Books and supplies
- Transportation
- Loan fees
- Dependent care
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PERIOD: Applications are open now and close at 3 p.m. on Friday, August 16, 2024. Applicants can apply by visiting cawellnesscoach.org. Scholarship recipients will be notified in October.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM: The Wellness Coach certification program was launched earlier this year by HCAI with the goal of approving professionals to help children and youth through age 25 navigate behavioral health challenges. The Wellness Coach certificate is free. Scholarships will be available annually to help students with educational and related expenses. The new role is inspired by successful programs and models from across the state and country, such as the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Behavioral Health Aid Program, which created a new role to provide culturally relevant support for behavioral health and substance use needs.
BIGGER PICTURE: The goal of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), the anchor of the Governor’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, is to transform the systems that support behavioral health and wellness to promote well-being for all children, youth, and families. This includes preventing and addressing emerging and existing mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges, including substance use issues and wellness.
Interested scholarship applicants can learn more about the new state-certified Wellness Coach profession and go through the scholarship application process by visiting https://cawellnesscoach.org.