GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – A major investment from the Richard J. Resch Foundation is fueling a first-of-its-kind effort to address the mental health workforce crisis in northeast Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Emplify Health by Bellin and Marquette University announced a new seven-year pilot program aimed at training, supporting, and hiring future mental health counselors.
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The program removes traditional barriers like tuition and unpaid clinical hours by covering educational costs, offering stipends, and providing a direct path to employment with Emplify Health after graduation.
“This particular gift, which is really transformative, actually addresses that whole barrier,” said Alan Burkhard, Coordinator of School Counseling at Marquette University. “It takes all those financial barriers out of the way. So it covers tuition, provides stipend support, and covers textbooks.”
The initiative is backed by a multi-million dollar donation from the Resch Foundation, which is known for its significant contributions to health and education in the region.
The goal of the program is to curb a projected shortage of 500 mental health counselors in the area over the next three to four years.
Kimberly Sandstrom, a clinical supervisor with Bellin Health, will oversee the hands-on training process and help students gain experience across several specialties, including youth mental health, addiction recovery, and trauma care.
“I will be able to help mentor them through this whole program,” Sandstrom said. “They’ll get a well-rounded experience because we have all those programs.”
The program is expected to start this fall, with its first class of students beginning coursework and clinical placements.
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Leaders estimate it could generate more than $250 million in long-term economic savings for the healthcare system while addressing one of the region’s most urgent public health needs.
“This will be the start of something big,” said Sharon Resch during the announcement at the Resch Expo Center.
