County Awarded $900,000 Grant to Support Careers in Health and Human Services

The County has been awarded a $900,000 grant to help facilitate collaboration between the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and partner organizations. The funding will be used to drive a coordinated, regional approach to develop the health and human services workforce in San Diego County.

The grant, which was accepted by the Board of Supervisors today, is from Health Career Connection (HCC), a national nonprofit working to expand opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and inspire a new generation of health leaders. The grant is part of the Regional Health Workforce Initiative supported by HCC and funded by The California Endowment's Social Bond.

Building a diverse, competent and engaged health and human services workforce is a priority for HHSA. San Diego County faces a worsening health and human services workforce shortage due to workers getting older and retiring or leaving for other jobs, this has particularly impacted the behavioral health workforce.

According to a 2022 San Diego Workforce Partnership report , the region needs to double its workforce by 2027.

Beyond behavioral health, there is a persistent demand for other licensed professionals, including nurses, therapists and social workers.

The new HCC grant funds will support the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership , a County academic-practice partnership with San Diego State University (SDSU) and its expansion to include California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). It also complements current HHSA initiatives, led by Behavioral Health Services and Public Health Services, to drive meaningful progress in workforce development across the region.

One component of the grant will expand career-connected learning by offering internships and providing unique, hands-on cross-training opportunities for SDSU and CSUSM students to help bring more diverse, qualified workers to the County and other regional health and human services careers.

A national model in academic-practice partnership, the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership, was the first of its kind in California when it launched in 2022.

"These investments will facilitate collaboration between our university partners, other academic institutions, HHSA departments, contractors and community organizations to support a regional approach for health and human services workforce development in San Diego County." said Carey Riccitelli, Director of the HHSA Department of Strategy and Community Engagement. "Stronger and coordinated career pathways mean more students will go on to serve in essential roles as social workers, public health nurses or in public health to support the residents of our region."

Learn more about the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership on the Live Well San Diego Website.