Qualified Treatment Trainee Grants Program

The Qualified Treatment Trainee Grants Program, in collaboration with UW-Milwaukee, aims to enhance the behavioral health workforce by supporting agencies hiring post-graduate trainees in social work, marriage and family therapy, and counseling. This initiative will expand placements for qualified treatment trainees (QTTs) who seek licensure as clinical social workers, professional counselors, or marriage and family therapists. By investing in QTTs and clinical supervisors, the program seeks to strengthen the capacity and quality of behavioral health services in Wisconsin.

In partnership with the UW-Milwaukee Center for Inclusive Transition, Education & Employment, the Division of Care and Treatment Services is seeking applications from behavioral health agencies that hire post-graduate trainee positions (qualified treatment trainees) in social work (APSW), marriage and family therapy (MFT-IT), and counseling (LPC-IT) for qualified treatment trainee programs. Expanding agency awards will support agencies that have previously hired post-graduate qualified treatment trainees and are increasing the number of placements available.
The purpose of the Qualified Treatment Trainee Grants Program is to help build the behavioral health provider workforce of the future. A Qualified Treatment Trainee (QTT) is someone with a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy who seeks to obtain a professional license, that is, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. In order to fulfill licensure requirements, QTTs must complete direct service hours under the guidance of a clinical supervisor. Recognizing the need for workforce investment, the QTT Grants Program began with Wisconsin’s 2020-2021 biennial budget (Wisc. Stat. § 146.618), which provided funding for eligible behavioral health agencies to expand and support QTTs statewide.
In sum, the QTT Grants Program seeks to increase behavioral health agency capacity to hire and expand QTT pursuit of licensure while also investing in clinical supervisors to provide the most effective supports possible.