Human Services Grant
The Human Services Department at HCC has received $1.28 million dollars from the Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) grant, funded by the Executive Office of Health & Human Services (EOHHS). This award will provide human services certificate students who qualify with the opportunity to receive a 24-credit human services certificate, the cost of tuition and books, and a paid one-semester internship with job training. Students will be paired with one of several participating Pioneer Valley social service agencies to complete their training and internship.
Through partnerships with these employers, the grant creates unique opportunities for students to be available for employment in the Human Services workforce post-graduation. Graduates will fill critical employment gaps in the human services workforce at essential jobs such as care coordinators, developmental specialists, direct care workers, family partners, immigration specialists, house managers, job coaches, peer specialists, recovery coaches, support navigators, therapeutic mentors, and residential and outreach counselors.
HCC faculty and advisors for the grant will support students to help keep them on track through all of their certificate coursework. They will work closely with students to ensure their academic and social needs are met. The advisors and faculty will also support trainees as they complete a 125-hour practicum internship.
We are very excited to announce the HCBS grant has graduated the first cohort of students in June 2024 and expect at least 40 more students to graduate by Spring 2025. Applications for students to enroll in the grant have now closed, but if you would like to become a Community Partner and are interested in hosting interns, please contact Donna Rowe, Ph.D. at drowe@hcc.edu or 413-552-2029.
