The California Department of Health Care Access and Information awarded a $5.25 million grant to the Master of Social Work program at Fresno State to expand its capacity to produce qualified health care professionals.

“This award, one of the largest in the state, is a significant commitment to meeting behavioral health needs across the Central Valley,” said Dr. Marcus Crawford, the principal investigator for the grant. “The Central Valley has an acute shortage of qualified health care professionals, including social workers, and the MSW program will now have the resources to train an additional 75 highly skilled social workers.”

The program produces social workers for the university’s service region, characterized by high levels of concentrated poverty and significantly underserved, marginalized populations.The region is majority-minority with more than 70 ethnicities and 105 languages spoken. The Master of Social Work program maintains 50 field sites throughout four counties with a mixture of urban- and rural-serving sites, providing service to diverse populations with myriad complex needs.

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“This investment not only elevates our program’s competitiveness nationally,” said Dr. Dheeshana Jayasundara, co-principal investigator, a professor who specializes in the area of gender-based and domestic violence. “This award also provides resources to reinforce our commitment to excellence and community impact.”

Crawford specializes in the areas of foster care and juvenile justice systems. Dr. Felipe Mercado, co-principal investigator, works with disenfranchised populations and communities to build civically engaged schools rooted in intersectional social justice. Dr. Randy Nedegaard, co-principal investigator, specializes in military mental health and military cultural competence, religious trauma, and AI in education and behavioral health.

“This funding will ensure that our graduates are well-equipped to provide culturally responsive care,” said Dr. Pa Nhia Xiong, co-principal investigator, who works in the areas of Hmong mental health, domestic violence in the Hmong community and education and leadership.

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