UCLA, Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills will receive $110 million to bolster their mental health programs, providing financial assistance and clinical resources to students seeking to fill the gaps of a major statewide shortage in the field of social work.
On Monday, the universities announced that the Ballmer Group — an investment group owned by Connie and Steve Ballmer, owner of the Clippers and former Microsoft chief executive — would support an effort to expand social work, youth counseling and mental health programs in underserved neighborhoods, including South and East L.A.
The funding will “will change lives across Los Angeles by preparing a new generation of counselors and social workers who reflect and understand the communities they serve,” Cal State L.A. President Berenecea Johnson Eanes said in a prepared statement.
According to the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, 55 of the state’s 58 counties faced shortages of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and other roles. The department found 22 counties had a “severe” shortage of at least 50% fewer mental health professionals than demanded, while Los Angeles faced a 20% to 35% shortfall.
One cause is the price of a master’s degree. At Cal State L.A., a one-year social work degree costs about $17,500. At UCLA, the master’s of social welfare — which runs for eight quarter sessions — amounts to more than $65,000 for California residents without financial aid.
Administrators say the new effort will expand the mental health workforce by training graduates at a lower cost to them and the schools.
“The grants and the scholarships will absolutely help” with enrollment and retention, said Heather Lattimer, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cal State L.A.
Cal State L.A.
Cal State L.A. will receive $48 million to add more students to its master of social work programs and provide more than 1,000 scholarships and grants for prospective students.
“We’re aiming to graduate more than 1,000 mental health professionals in the next five years,” Lattimer said.
Cal State L.A. graduates are more likely to practice in the Los Angeles community, especially in lower-income areas that have less access to mental health workers, said Tasha Willis, a program director for the master of social work.
Nataly Degante and Mayra Vargas, who graduated in 2023, have begun working as preceptors — practitioners who supervise interns or students during clinical trainings — at organizations in Los Angeles. Both said they believe lifting the financial burdens associated with a degree could help to invigorate the field.
During their studies, Degante raised two children and Vargas had a full-time job, which made school a tough balancing act. If additional scholarships were offered during her tenure, Vargas said she believed it would’ve attracted more students like herself to the program.
“People that weren’t able to afford the program can now get that education,” Vargas said.
CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU Dominguez Hills will use part of its $29-million grant to launch Toros Heal L.A., an initiative to grow mental health resources in South L.A.
The grant will expand existing mental health programs in the region and allow the university to partner with surrounding graduate schools and clinics for training and employment opportunities, said Dr. Adriean Mancillas, professor and chair of the counseling program.
“A lot of mental health professionals, in general, once they’re trained, they go to more affluent areas to work privately,” Mancillas said. “This gift is going to help reduce that debt and then encourage relationships between students who are trained in that area to then go back and work in that area.”
Most of the funds will be put toward grants and scholarships to support around 700 students. Many students who would’ve had to work outside jobs during their studies will be freed up to focus on clinical placements and internships, Mancillas said. About 75% of the funds will be used for scholarships of up to $18,000 per year per student.
UCLA
When Olivia Hall enrolled at UCLA as a psychology undergraduate two years ago, she had no idea where the field might take her.
That was until she enrolled in Dr. Bruce Chorpita’s Youth Behavioral Health Intervention course, where she learned about local disparities in mental healthcare and child psychology.
When she found out that UCLA would use its $33-million grant to provide scholarships and develop a minor in youth behavioral health, she was elated to see the emphasis placed on an underserved age group.
“In middle school, I just observed around me this mental health crisis within my generation,” Hall said.
Chorpita said the grant will be split into three parts: the psychology department, which will oversee the new minor; the school of social welfare; and child-focused fellowships in the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department.
“If you’re a major in psychology, you can minor in youth behavioral health, and you’ll get a bunch of specialized coursework that is definitely above and beyond what you would get as a regular psych major,” said Chorpita, a professor of psychiatry, psychology and director of Child FIRST at UCLA, a program focused on children’s mental health.
As Hall makes her way through her studies at UCLA and looks forward to participating in the youth behavioral health minor, she said anxieties about her future have eased.
Youth mental health is a career, Hall said. The minor and new training opportunities are “so important in motivating my generation in the field.”
The Ballmer Group is one of several foundations that funds Los Angeles Times early childhood education reporting initiatives.
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