Regional Collaboration

Why Regional Collaboration Matters

The Texas Panhandle faces significant behavioral health workforce shortages, with rural communities experiencing the greatest deficits. These shortages create barriers for residents seeking timely and appropriate care and highlight the need for coordinated strategies that strengthen workforce capacity across the region.

Through the Behavioral Health Workforce Initiative (BHWI), West Texas A&M University works with school districts, healthcare systems, behavioral health providers, and community organizations to strengthen behavioral health pathways, expand training opportunities, and support supervision and placement capacity. These partnerships help improve access to care and support the long-term stability of the region’s behavioral health system.

Strengthening the Workforce Together

The Behavioral Health Workforce Initiative advances West Texas A&M University’s regionally responsive, rural-serving mission by expanding, strengthening, and sustaining the behavioral health workforce across the Texas Panhandle.

Through coordinated pathways, data-driven planning, and collaborative partnerships, BHWI supports students, practitioners, and communities while helping build long-term workforce capacity across the region.

social-work-female-students-in-classroom

Mentorship & Supervision Collaboration

Clinical supervisors and preceptors play a vital role in preparing the next generation of behavioral health professionals. Their mentorship helps ensure that students and early-career clinicians receive meaningful training experiences and develop the skills needed to serve communities across the region.

BHWI collaborates with academic programs and community partners to expand supervision and preceptor networks, support clinical placement opportunities, and align training experiences with regional workforce needs. These partnerships strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and support the continued growth of the behavioral health workforce.

Supporting Our Community Partners

BHWI works with agencies, healthcare systems, school districts, and community organizations across the Texas Panhandle to strengthen behavioral health workforce capacity through coordinated initiatives and shared resources.

Partners may benefit from:

Access to students across behavioral health disciplines for internships, practicums, and workforce pipelines.
RBT training pilot that prepares students and professionals for an affordable, in-demand behavioral health credential.
Interdisciplinary telehealth and counseling partnership development.
Continuing interdisciplinary online and in-person CEU training sessions - TF-CBT, EMDR, CEU, and practitioner support sessions.
Long-term workforce pipelines, embedded certificates, and resiliency programming.
Regional collaboration forums that connect professionals, educators, and organizations.

Together, these partnerships help strengthen regional workforce pipelines and support a resilient behavioral health workforce serving communities across the Texas Panhandle.

Get Connected!

Strong partnerships between agencies, educators, and community organizations are essential to strengthening the behavioral health workforce in the Texas Panhandle.
BHWI welcomes collaboration with organizations interested in mentoring students, contributing workforce insight, or exploring new training and workforce initiatives.

Interested in learning more about partnership opportunities?
We welcome conversations with agencies and organizations across the region.

Thank you for your support!

Contact Us