News Release by UIC College of Medicine
A new program to provide educational opportunities to increase the number of social workers in the area is already enrolling students, thanks to an accelerator grant from the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board, which is funded through a half-cent sales tax.
Social Worker Opportunity Tracks (SWOT) is a collaboration led by the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford in conjunction with Rock Valley College, Rockford University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work, RPS 205, and the Boone-Winnebago County Regional Office of Education #4.
“Winnebago County has a shortage of mental health providers, often having 150 or more positions for social workers open,” says Alex Stagnaro-Green, dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford and the principal investigator on the grant. “SWOT will train individuals committed to becoming social workers in Winnebago County and build opportunities for area students to train and work in the area for years to come.”
SWOT is comprised of several different pathways for people who are committed to working in Winnebago County upon graduation to become social workers:
1. r 1. Graduates of Rock Valley College with an associate degree are eligible to apply to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work online programs or Rockford University programs to complete a bachelor’s in social work while receiving scholarships and other financial and educational support.
2. 2. Rockford University graduates are eligible to receive financial support and assistance to complete the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign online master’s of social work degree.
3. Winnebago County high school students interested in pursuing a social work degree can enroll in the SWOT Pipeline Track. Following successful completion of the high school component, each student has the option to enroll in either the associate degree program in human services at Rock Valley College or the bachelor’s in social work program at Rockford University.
4. Rock Valley College graduates could either transfer to Rockford University to complete their BSW in person or enroll in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign online bachelor’s in social work. Upon completion of the BSW from either Rockford University or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the student could then enroll in the online MSW program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
5. The SWOT Immediate Track allows staff presently employed by Winnebago County schools with an associate degree to earn a bachelor’s degree in social work through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s existing online program or a soon-to-be-developed bachelor’s completion program at Rockford University. Those who have a bachelor’s degree can complete the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign online master’s degree program. Participants can receive tuition reimbursement from their school and continue to work as they earn their social work degree.
Students interested in any of the Social Worker Opportunity Tracks can contact program administrator Carol Schuster for more information at schust@uic.edu.
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Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board (WCCMHB) is a board of appointed community leaders and public officials dedicated to investing and supporting mental health and substance use services for adults and children in Winnebago County. WCCMHB receives funding through a half-cent sales tax which was approved by Winnebago County residents in March 2020. This sales tax generates approximately $18 million annually for mental health and substance use services across the county. WCCMHB positively impacts the Winnebago County community by increasing access to local services by providing support and funding to organizations, non-profits, and government agencies that offer mental health and substance use services. This allows Winnebago County residents to live and recover in the community.