A course scheduled to begin at California State University, Sacramento in fall 2009 would be the first program of its kind in California geared to meet the mental health needs of small rural counties.

According to a statewide task force that examined mental health staffing needs, rural areas experience significantly higher shortages of licensed mental health professionals. The average vacancy rates for such positions hover between 20 percent and 25 percent. Local needs assessments have identified a chronic shortage of master's-level clinicians. Small counties also face a lack of qualified applicants with a desired rural, cultural and/or language proficiency.

To meet these needs, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada and Tuolumne counties partnered with Sac State's Division of Social Work to fund an accessible program for county staff and residents to address mental health issues future graduates will face in a rural environment. Sac State's Masters of Social Work program will be one weekend a month, 10 weekends a year for three years, and include field placement for hands-on learning. It is being funded, in part, through local Proposition 63 monies.

The California Department of Mental Health has programs to assist with tuition before and after graduation. For more information, see the Mental Health Services Act Five-Year Workforce Education and Training Development Plan at www.dmh.ca.gov/Prop63/MHSA/. Those receiving Title IV-E tuition assistance are also encouraged to apply for a specialized social work education in rural mental health.

For eligibility requirements, visit www.hhs.csus.edu/sw/mswapplication.htm. A meeting for those interested in the program is scheduled for Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m. To R.S.V.P. or for more information, contact Christa Thompson at 754-2810 or cthompson@co.calaveras.ca.us. The deadline to enroll is Jan. 16, 2009.