Grant Expands Field Training for Counseling Students

The School of Educationat North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has received a $2.3 million federal grant for graduate students to complete their field experience in integrated care settings.

The four-year grant, known as IMPACT NC, was awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Over half of the grant award is used to provide stipends for master's and doctoral students studying to become professional counselors, counselor educators and clinical supervisors.

The $25,000 stipend is used to subsidize students' fieldwork in primary care, school and telehealth in underserved settings where counseling and behavioral health are offered. The remaining portion of the funding is used for faculty and student training, course enhancements and administration of the grant.

"The goal is to train our counseling students to effectively operate in those settings and work collaboratively to provide holistic care that meets the needs of their clients," said Associate Dean Jeffrey Warren, Ph.D. "It's a whole new model that we started implementing in fall 2025."

The School of Education is collaborating with Campbell University and partnering with several entities. Those are DukeWELL (part of Duke Health), Durham Public Schools, Person County Schools and Vance County Schools. The Eagle Counseling, Consultation, and Research Clinic (ECCRC), a community counseling center located within the School of Education, also serves as a placement site.

The stipend will be used to support more than 55 students during the four-year grant, Warren said.

"The end goal is to increase the number of professionally licensed counselors and clinical supervisors who are trained in integrated healthcare," Warren said. "And have experience working in rural areas."

While IMPACT NC broadly aims to increase the supply and distribution of behavioral health professionals in underserved areas of North Carolina, it emphasizes training those who serve children, adolescents and young adults at risk for mental health, trauma or behavioral health disorders.

As part of the grant, the School of Education will provide job placement support to students and track their careers after they graduate.