Graduate Trainee Support Program

The Graduate Trainee Support Program financially supports master's-level students during their advanced practicum or internship experiences that serve rural, public sector, or justice-involved communities. To be eligible to apply, students must have confirmed practicum or internship experiences, be in good academic standing, and intend to practice in Nebraska after graduation.

Student Eligibility Requirements

Students must meet the following four requirements to be eligible:

1. Academic Programs

Master’s-level students must be enrolled in one of the following programs:

Bellevue University MS Clinical Mental Health
Chadron State College MAE Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Concordia University MS Marriage and Family Therapy
Crown College MA in Counseling
Doane MA in Counseling w/a specialty in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Nebraska Wesleyan University Master of Social Work
UNK MS Clinical Mental Health Counseling
UNL MA Counseling Psychology - Community Counseling Track
UNL MS Marriage & Family Therapy
UNMC MS Applied Behavior Analysis
UNO Grace Abbott School of Social Work Master of Social Work
UNO MS Applied Behavior Analysis
UNO MS in Counseling with a Concentration in CMHC
Wayne State College MSE Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Other

2. Final Clinical Experience

Many academic programs require students to complete a practicum, internship, or similar hands-on training as part of their coursework. The GTSP is designed to support students during their final required training experience before graduation, whether referred to as a practicum (for social work students) or an internship (for others). This final placement typically occurs in the last semester(s) and involves a higher number of required hours—often 400 or more. To participate, students should apply in the semester before they begin their final experience. For example, if a student starts their internship in the fall, they should apply in the summer. If you have any questions about when to apply, please reach out to your academic advisor for guidance.

3. Eligible Sites and Facilities

Students are responsible for developing their practicum or internship experience and ensuring the experience is confirmed before applying for this program. Eligible sites and experiences must serve one or more of the following populations in Nebraska.

Students must secure placement at a training site and be officially accepted before applying for BHECN funding. As part of the BHECN application, the training site is required to complete a verification form. Therefore, you must have a confirmed supervisor and a secured training spot to fulfill your required experience.

Rural Workforce Shortage Areas

Experiences in this category should be in or serving communities in rural mental health professional shortage areas.

Public sector

Experiences in this category should be at the following facility types:

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
Community Mental Health Centers
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Nonprofit Social Services Agencies
Veterans Affairs Clinics

Justice-Involved

Experiences in this category must be at one of the following facilities types:

4. Practicing in Nebraska

To align with BHECN’s mission, students applying to this program must intend to practice in Nebraska after graduating from their academic program.

Payments

Students accepted into this program are eligible to receive up to $20,000 over the length of their experience. Payments will be divided equally based on the number of months the experience lasts and will be deposited into the student's account on a monthly basis.

Supervisors of students may receive up to $5,000 per student upon the completion of the student's experience. This payment is intended to support the supervisor(s) and will be divided accordingly if a student works at multiple locations or has more than one supervisor. Supervisor payments will be issued after the student's experience concludes and a short completion survey has been submitted.

The student support follows a tiered structure:

Tier 1: $2,500 for placements requiring 200 hours or less, plus a $1,000 payment allocated for the supervisor.

Tier 2: $10,000 for placements requiring 500 hours or less, plus a $2,500 supervisor payment.

Tier 3: $15,000 for placements requiring more than 500 hours, plus a $5,000 supervisor payment.

*An additional $5,000 bonus is available for students who complete their experience at a justice-involved facility. Only facilities specifically listed on our website under "justice-involved" in the "eligible sites and facilities" are eligible based on our statute. Students working with justice-involved individuals at facilities not listed on our website will not qualify for the bonus.

Please refer to the FAQ section below for important information regarding the tax implications of this funding.

Applying for the Program

Applications for this program are accepted three times a year. Applications submitted outside of the designated application cycle will not be considered. Students should apply for this program during the academic term immediately preceding the term in which they will begin their final practicum or internship experience. Students currently enrolled in practicum or internship courses who have already started completing hours are not eligible to apply.

Application Periods:

March 10 – April 10 -- For practicum or internship experiences beginning in the Summer (typically starting in May or later)
June 10 – July 10 -- For experiences beginning in the Fall (typically starting in August or later)
October 10 – November 10 -- For experiences beginning in the Spring (typically starting in January or later)

Applicants will receive notification from BHECN regarding whether or not they have been selected for funding within 30 days of the application cycle’s closing date. Interested students are encouraged to review the Application Questions Guide before applying.

Access the application and FAQs

Click here to access the application.

Read answers to some frequently asked questions about the Graduate Trainee Support Program below.

How do I develop a practicum or internship experience for this program?

Students should follow the guidelines from their academic programs when developing their experiences to ensure that the practicum or internship course requirements are met. Students and their academic supervisor or practicum/internship coordinator must confirm the experience before submitting an application.

If I am not accepted into the program during the first semester of my experience, can I apply again during another semester after I have already started completing hours?

No. The program is intended to support students at the start of their practicum or internship experiences.

What if my practicum or internship spans multiple semesters or courses?

It is common for academic programs to have practicum or internship courses and experiences that last multiple semesters. These experiences are allowed if the total number of hours required by the academic program will be completed consecutively across the semesters.

Is my payment subject to tax withholding, and will I receive any tax documents for reporting purposes?

Your payments are considered taxable income and are not subjected to automatic tax withholding, meaning no taxes will be deducted from your payment. For a U.S. taxpayer student, if the total payments equal or exceed $600 in a calendar year, they will be reported as 1099-NEC income to both you and the IRS. You will receive the 1099-NEC form at the end of the year for tax reporting purposes. This income is classified as payment for services performed as an independent contractor, not as an employee. We recommend consulting a tax professional to understand the potential impact on your tax return and financial aid status. Please note that BHECN cannot provide tax advice.