Making Waves: Behavioral Health Service Corps Expands to the Ocean State

It’s been six years since William James College established the nation’s only service-learning program dedicated exclusively to training the next generation of mental health professionals. Today, with generous support from the Rhode Island Foundation, the Center for Workforce Development has expanded the Behavioral Health Service Corps. (BHSC-RI) to recruit, mentor, and train emerging professionals from groups underrepresented in the behavioral health field. 

 “The BHSC equips emerging professionals with the training, experience, and support needed to provide high-quality mental health care while responding directly to the current workforce crisis,” said President Nicholas A. Covino of the groundbreaking, paid service year (modeled after the Peace Corps) available to recent college graduates who are exploring careers in the behavioral health sector. 

Emma Kirdzik enrolled at the University of Rhode Island with dreams of becoming a nurse. When she found out the nursing program was full, Kirdzik made a last-minute pivot toward public health—a decision that’s opened some unexpected doors.

“I didn’t have a plan, save for furthering my education,” recalls Kirdzik of learning, during spring semester junior year, she was eligible to graduate early. Keen on saving tuition, the out-of-state student started hustling to finish the required credits and explore next steps. As luck would have it, she was scrolling on Instagram during a break from her campus job when the BHSC-RI caught her attention. 

“It’s like everything just aligned to offer me the best of all worlds,” says Kirdzik of the chance to gain hands-on experience in the field while earning a salary plus credits toward her masters degree.

Having earned a BS in public health with a specialization in health services (and missed the application window for grad school), Kirdzik jumped at the chance to unlock her potential with a free gap year in mental health. Through her work providing one-on-one support to neurodivergent kids at Northeast Family Services in Warwick, Kirdzik is learning that baby steps really do matter. 

“It has been so rewarding to work as part of a clinical team and see clients making progress,” says Kirdzik, pointing to a recent success story. During a home visit with a non-verbal child on the autism spectrum, Kirdzik introduced a hands-on counting activity she designed to support her client’s treatment plan. To her delight, the child began placing numbered fireflies into a jar, counting aloud—one, two, three. 

“It was amazing to witness that sort of progress in real time due to materials I created,” says Kirdzik with pride. Additional program perks come via supportive supervisors who are willing to discuss casework, advise on academics, and assist in filling out documents—like those needed to enroll in the online Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program to which Kirdzik was recently accepted. Like all scholars who successfully complete and graduate from the BHSC, Kirdzik will be eligible for a $10,000 annual scholarship to defray the costs of tuition and fees associated with enrolling in the online or on-campus option.

A tattoo on her wrist reads, amor fati—Latin for the love of fate—a concept in which Kirdzik wholeheartedly believes. For someone who fell in love with Rhode Island as an undergrad and decided to stay, Kirdzik is reaping the rewards.

“The BHSC-RI has allowed me to get my foot in the door of behavioral healthcare, gain valuable on-the-job experience, and earn a living—all while making an impact through direct services,” says Kirdzik. “It’s an amazing opportunity.”

Lauren Aldrich was an undergraduate at Providence College when she first learned about the BHSC-RI. Pursuing an advanced degree was always on the psych major’s radar, as was taking a break between programs—making the year-long, paid service opportunity a logical next step.

“I was going to take a year off no matter what, so the chance to get ahead by gaining hands-on experience, earning a salary, and taking classes was a perfect fit,” says Aldrich, who was born and raised in Narragansett.  Aldrich's BHSC placement is at Northeast Family Services where she is a treatment coordinator. 

 “The chance to step into a well-rounded position and work on a team was appealing,” says Aldrich, who now has experience providing direct support, serving as a liaison, and supervising others. Learning to lean on coworkers and collaborate with clinicians and direct-support personnel has been an equally valuable part of the job. One hour each week is dedicated to meeting with her supervisor to seek advice and problem solve. Topics include scheduling in-home sessions with a Spanish-speaking parent to advocating for a child during a school-based IEP meeting (and overcoming imposter syndrome in the process). Time and again, the solution lies in teamwork.

“My supervisor reminds me that I have a voice and empowers me to use it,” says Aldrich, whose experience in the BHSC-RI has reinforced one thing: She is in the room for a reason. 

After researching graduate programs aligned with her goals, Aldrich decided on the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at William James College. The rigorous study of evidence-based theory and practice coupled with opportunities for mentorship and personal growth—plus a $10,000 annual scholarship—made choosing to enroll easy.

Deep curiosity about how the brain works and why individuals behave the way they do drives Aldrich in her pursuit of a career in a helping profession. Her first foray into the field came via a summer job at The Bradley School Providence working with children and adolescents whose psychiatric and behavioral needs could not be met in a traditional public school setting. Now, after a year spent working with clients ages 5-17, Aldrich has found her calling working with kids. Given the trust required in a therapeutic relationship, building rapport with young people is a big reinforcer for Aldrich.

“The slight but steady changes I see children and adolescents making as a result of our work together—from asking for help when they normally wouldn’t or responding to directives in a new way—keeps me on the right track.”

About the Behavioral Health Service Corps- Rhode Island

As part of the College’s strategic commitment to strengthen and diversify Rhode Island’s behavioral health workforce, BHSC-RI is designed to bring new talent into the field and support the retention of providers who reflect the communities they serve. The program prepares participants to deliver culturally fluent care in historically excluded and underserved communities across the state, helping to address Rhode Island’s urgent workforce shortages and improve access to high-quality behavioral health services for individuals and families.

BHSC-RI students take two graduate-level courses (six credits) in WJC’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s program and receive supervision, professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 annual scholarship if they choose to continue graduate education at WJC. Historically, 66% of BHSC scholars have remained employed at their placement sites after completing their service year, and 40% have gone on to pursue master’s degrees at WJC, with 12% advancing to doctoral-level studies in Clinical Psychology.

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