DANVERS, MA — North Shore Community College has received a three-year federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand educational opportunities and workforce training in behavioral health and human services across the region.
The grant will support students enrolled in the college's Direct Support Certificate, Child and Youth Advocate, and Community Health Worker certificate programs. Selected participants will receive free tuition and a $6,000 stipend upon graduation.
Each certificate program must be completed in one year.
NSCC said the three certificate programs prepare students for roles supporting people in the community at different stages of life and with a range of needs.
Graduates can pursue careers in community health, child and youth advocacy, and direct support services, helping people access resources, navigate challenges, and build skills for greater independence and well-being.
"Expanding access to affordable, career-focused education is essential to strengthening our regional workforce," said Mary Meng Lee, dean of NSCC's Human Services Division. "This grant will help students prepare for important roles in human services and behavioral health while creating pathways to further education and career advancement."
The college said the initiative also links short-term job training with longer-term academic options.
Students earn college credits that can be applied toward associate degrees and, through established partnerships, transferred toward bachelor's degrees. According to NSCC, that allows students to prepare for employment while keeping open a path to more education and career advancement.
The college said the new funding continues its effort to make education more accessible and affordable while addressing workforce needs in human services and behavioral health across the region.
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