In the News

EAST LONGMEADOW – Dozens of first-year graduate students in white lab coats lined the entry to the Philip H. Ryan Health Science Center in East Longmeadow. Each of the students in Bay Path University’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program waited in turn to shake Congressman Richard Neal’s hand as he arrived to announce nearly $3 million in funding for the university’s health programs.

The first of the two grants that were announced provides $1.5 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)’s Primary Care Training & Enhancement (PCTE) program.

“Massachusetts is in the top 10 [states] for opioid deaths,” said Theresa Riethle, PA studies program director and associate professor. “The grant will make a huge difference,” and focus on training in substance abuse and mental health disorders.

Primary care isn’t the only health studies program that will benefit from grant funding. The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program received $1,432,781 from the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program and funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Dr. Mark Benander, director of graduate psychology, explained, “Funding from the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program will help us to attract and retain a well-qualified workforce to meet the region’s needs, specifically in the field of mental health counseling.” He said the grant will allow for the creation of 28 internship positions with  the program’s partners, Caring Health Center and Behavioral Health Network.

The PA program will also be developing a new Certificate in Integrated Behavioral Health in the Primary Care Setting program to develop students professionally and continue study for clinicians in the field.

Bay Path University President Sandra Doran identified a shortage of primary care physicians in the area. “These two grants deal with two fundamental issues in our region: primary healthcare and mental health,” Doran said, “so that Bay Path University can be part of the solution in caring for the underserved in our community.”

Congressman Richard E. Neal congratulated Doran and Bay Path on the funding. “The pandemic has highlighted the need for more healthcare availability in our rural and underserved communities, as well as behavioral health specialists – the two areas that these grants will allow Bay Path to enhance,” he said. “Bay Path is once again up to the task to meet the demand and I look forward to witnessing its continued success.”

Neal told Reminder Publishing that the grants were part of a movement toward “decentralized healthcare throughout the country – for the better.” He described the “future of health” as a partnership of primary care physicians, urgent care facilities and the professionals at area hospitals.

He said grants would work in concert with other steps to increase better healthcare outcomes. One of the initiatives he cited was the expanded child credit that was rolled out on July 15. Parents will receive up to $300 per child each through the end of the year.

“This is going to create enormous cash flows for families,” Neal said. If made permanent, he said, it would raise half of the country’s low-income children out of poverty.