Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Behavioral Health Center awarded EPIC designation

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Pennsylvania’s Children’s Behavioral Health Center (DCBHC) has been awarded the Education and Programming for Integrated Care (EPIC) designation by West Chester University, which recognizes organizations that support and train student interns in settings that integrate both behavioral health and physical healthcare services.

With this designation, DCBHC, an inpatient children’s psychiatric hospital in Malvern, Pa., is recognized as a partner site where qualified West Chester University graduate students can use EPIC grant funding to complete their internships.

“We are grateful to West Chester University for awarding DCBHC the EPIC designation,” said DCBHC Hospital Clinical Director Robyn Radomicki. “This designation highlights the important work we do on a daily basis to provide much-needed acute behavioral health supports, along with physical healthcare services to underserved children and adolescents in an integrated healthcare facility.”

About the EPIC grant program …

In 2017, West Chester University was awarded a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase the number of social workers and school counselors trained in integrated care, and to expand behavioral healthcare services to medically underserved populations and communities.

In September 2018, the university was awarded a supplemental grant, totaling nearly $300,000.

Both grants are being used to support and train more than 100 West Chester University students in integrated care settings such as Devereux Pennsylvania’s Children’s Behavioral Health Center, which combines behavioral health and physical healthcare services to ensure a more effective, efficient and accountable approach to whole-person health. Students receive $10,000 stipends for successfully completing their field placements.

“This opportunity brings me one step closer to helping vulnerable and medically underserved populations such as the LGBTQA community and those struggling with mental illness,” explained DCBHC intern Riley Hellings in a West Chester University announcement introducing the 2018-2019 EPIC grant recipients. “I want to create the safe space and services I needed but did not have growing up.”

A perfect partnership

Radomicki noted, “We are thrilled to have students like Riley conduct their field placements at DCBHC to gain the skills needed for a successful career in behavioral health. We look forward to welcoming more students to our program – through our partnership with West Chester University – to enhance training in integrated care so that we may better serve those in need.”

Learn more about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

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