The Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathways Scholarship was established in 2023 by the Tennessee General Assembly and Governor Bill Lee to address the growing demand for more behavioral health professionals. In partnership with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), the scholarship program is jointly administered by the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) and the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug & other Addiction Services (TAADAS).
For the first time, up to $30,000 in tuition aid for master’s degrees in behavioral health was offered for Tennessee students. To qualify, applicants must be a Tennessee resident seeking a master’s degree in counseling, psychiatric nursing, social work, psychology, or a similar behavioral health profession and be enrolled or enrolling in an accredited higher education institution in Tennessee. In exchange for tuition assistance, scholarship recipients will commit to working at a state-funded community behavioral health agency that serves Tennesseans with the greatest needs and the least ability to pay. The scholarship recipient must work at one of these agencies for a comparable amount of time as the tuition assistance received.
As of March 15, 2025, TAMHO awarded $1,753,328.37 in graduate scholarships to 130 students. Of this total, 34 scholarships were awarded to University of Tennessee (UT) students, amounting to $504,626.96 (28.7 percent of the total award). Of the scholarships awarded to UT students, 33 were for UT College of Social Work MSSW students ($497,126.96), and one was for Psychiatric Nursing ($7,500.00).
In April, the Tennessee General Assembly approved an additional $4.4 million in one-time funding to further support the Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathways Scholarship initiative. In addition, the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council allocated $2 million in non-recurring funds to help advance this critical effort. These investments reinforce the state’s commitment to strengthening the behavioral health workforce and ensuring that high-quality services are available to Tennesseans with the greatest needs.
The Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) is a statewide trade association representing Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) and other non-profit agencies that provide behavioral health services throughout the state.
TAMHO’s mission is to support its members, promote the advancement of effective behavioral health services, and advocate for people in need of care. Each year, the TAMHO Board of Directors develops a strategic agenda focused on enhancing the quality, accessibility, and impact of mental health and substance use treatment and recovery services throughout Tennessee. To learn more about TAMHO, please visit www.tamho.org.