Info for Prospective Sites

• Site Application Opens - March 15, 2025
• Site Application Deadline - June 15, 2025 
• Submit Site Application Here - (coming March 15th!)

The NMHWAC Candidate Program is designed to provide targeted support to behavioral health Sites that host associate level providers who have just graduated from their master’s or doctoral level training program, and are pursuing their full, independent licensure.  The program refers to these recent graduates as “Candidates.”   

Sites hosting Candidates will be selected based on demonstrated organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and readiness to provide exceptional support to associate level providers seeking full licensure.

NMHWAC Candidate Program Sites agree to employ a newly hired full-time employee (Candidate) who holds a master’s or doctoral degree and is accruing hours towards full licensure. Candidates may fill positions that are newly created or existing and unfilled. When identifying positions for Candidates, Sites should select those that allow Candidates to obtain the number of hours of clinical experience required for full licensure by the Washington state Department of Health (DOH).  

The NMHWAC WA Team will partner with Site to select Candidates that meet the spirit of the grant, and fit well with the Site's mission and client population served. The grant program is focused on facilitating opportunities for graduates with historically marginalized identities to succeed in attaining full licensure, in exceptionally supportive and equitable clinical environments. 

Sites will receive direct funding from the National Council to help cover a portion of a Candidate’s salary, as well as offset the cost of in-house supervision, the Candidate’s application fee for their licensure exam, and the application fee for their full license. To ensure licensure success, the National Council has partnered with Motivo for virtual supervision services, if needed, and AATBS/Triad for licensure exam support for all Candidates. 

The NMHWAC program and it's WA Team will aim to support participating Sites in creating and implementing internal structures, systems, and resources that best support diverse Candidates in overcoming common barriers to full licensure.  Monthly Site meetings and quarterly trainings are intended to promote this aim, and Site participation is both expected and encouraged.

Snapshot of NMHWAC Candidate Program benefits for Sites: 

• Financial support for Candidate salary is provided to Sites. 
• State-approved supervision to Candidates, or financial support of in-house supervision provided to Sites. 
• Inclusion in quarterly trainings on topics related to policy, fundraising, workforce, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in community behavioral health.
• Monthly meetings for all NMHWAC program Sites to provide support in adopting and implementing best practices in exceptional development of the diverse workforce.
• Support in tracking Candidate's hours for full licensure. 

Sites eligible to host Candidates must:   

• Be one of the following types of behavioral health organizations:
  • Academic medical institution  
  • Federally qualified health center  
  • Community health care clinic  
  • Other nonprofit provider  
  • Health care systems (preference to nonprofits) 
  • Private/For-Profit Sites: 
    • For-profit entities may be considered as eligible sites if the client population served, payer mix, and mission of the organization aligns with the NMHWAC program. 
    • Generally, for-profit private practices serving primarily privately insured clients are not eligible sites for this program. 
• Provide Candidates/employees participating in the program a minimum annual salary designated by the program. 
• Provide health insurance options to all full-time employees within the organization. 
• Provide a safe and equitable workplace environment with reasonable opportunities for mentorship and professional development, including time for Candidate to participate in required NMHWAC program meetings and trainings. 

• Sites will recruit, employ, onboard, and retain a full-time employee (NMHWAC Candidate) who:  
  • Holds a master’s or doctorate degree from an accredited program in one of the following: 
    • Counseling Psychology  
    • Mental Health Counseling   
    • Marriage/Couples and Family Therapy 
    • Social Work 
    • Substance Use/Addiction Counseling  
  • Is licensed at the appropriate associate license level in the state of Washington, if necessary, prior to the start of employment with the site so they can begin accruing the hours required for clinical licensure (i.e. LMHCA, LICSWA, LMFTA). 
  • Has expressed intent to achieve one of the following full licenses in the state of Washington, and preferably is at the beginning of their path to accruing full licensure hours:  
    • Licensed Mental Health Counselor   
    • Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker 
    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 
    • Is either a new employee at the organization (start date no earlier than one month prior to starting in the NMHWAC Candidate Program), or is an existing employee who recently obtained a qualifying master’s or doctorate degree and will start accruing clinical licensure hours as an associate for their full, independent license.  
• Provide candidates/employees participating in the program a minimum annual salary of program determined amount.
• Provide health insurance options to all full-time employees within the organization. 
• Provide a safe and equitable workplace environment with reasonable opportunities for mentorship and professional development, including time to participate in required NMHWAC program meetings and trainings. This will likely require a modified productivity calculation, or modified billable hours to accommodate full participation in learning activities associated with this grant program.
• Gather and submit quarterly programmatic and impact data to track progress toward NMHWAC required program goals. NMHWAC will share details on reporting requirements and will strive to minimize administrative burden.  
• Engage in NMHWAC program activities as requested, such as monthly meetings with the WA Team, and statewide and national convenings. These meetings are intended to support Sites in learning and sharing trends in  community behavioral health, as well as adopting and implementing best practices in exceptional development of the diverse workforce. 

• Sites will receive monthly payments of a program specific amount following the first month of employment of Candidates through NMHWAC Candidate cohort program completion. Monthly payments are made based on the number of Candidates the site employs, and whether the site is providing in-house clinical supervision or using virtual supervision through Motivo. 
   
• Candidates will receive a one-time reimbursement of a program specified amount for their licensure exam fee, and full licensure application fee.  This reimbursement to the Candidate will be administered through a Site's monthly reimbursement invoice to the National Council, and will be distributed to Candidate via the Site's paycheck system in the payroll following receipt of the reimbursement. 

Sites will be selected based on the following criteria: 

• Capacity for launch: Is the organization prepared to fully participate in the grant program? Can they commit to all program requirements?  
• ADEI capacity and supports: Is the organization able to support and advance employees from diverse backgrounds (such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, culture)?  
• Supports for Candidates: Does the organization have support in place to assist with employee retention efforts (e.g., health insurance*, tuition or mileage reimbursement, professional development)? *Required for program eligibility 
• Shared vision of success: Is the organization invested in shaping and advancing the mental health and substance use treatment workforce?  

• Site General Organization Information 
• Demographics of Populations Served 
• Organizations Partnerships 
• Candidate Supports 
• Capacity to Launch 
• Additional Information 

Application Deadline for the July 2025 Candidate Cohort: June 15, 2025 

Submit Site Application Here (application will open March 15, 2025) 

Register for one of the upcoming Info Sessions For Soon-To-Be-Graduates

• March 20, 2025 - 5:30pm-6:30pm
• April 23, 2025 - 5:30pm-6:30pm

Though there is eligibility criteria that a Site must meet, here is NO application for Sites to host Fellows.

Please direct any interns that you plan to host to submit a Fellow Application on the Information for Interns page.  

NMHWAC Fellowship Program Sites host a clinical intern from a Washington state behavioral health education program at the master's or doctoral level, who is working towards their degree.

The NMHWAC WA Team will select Fellows through the Fellowship Application that best meet the spirit of the grant. The grant program is focused on facilitating opportunities for students with historically marginalized identities to succeed in internship, so that they can graduate, enter the workforce, and attaining full licensure. Sites that host selected Fellows will be considered participating Sites, as long as they meet eligibility criteria. 

The NMHWAC program and it's WA Team will aim to support participating Sites in creating and implementing internal structures, systems, and resources that best support diverse students in overcoming common barriers to completing internship, and increasing the incidence of achieving their graduate or doctoral degree.  Monthly Site meetings and quarterly trainings are intended to promote this aim, and Site participation is both expected and encouraged.

Eligible sites must be one of the following:   

• Academic medical institution  
• Federally qualified health center  
• Community health care clinic  
• Other nonprofit provider  
• Health care systems (preference to nonprofits) 
• Private/For-Profit Sites: 
  • For-profit entities may be considered as eligible sites if the client population served, payer mix, and mission of the organization aligns with the NMHWAC program. 
  • Generally, for-profit private practices serving primarily privately insured clients are not eligible sites for this program.