By Brooke Heath, Southern Utah University
CEDAR CITY, UT — July 8, 2025 — Southern Utah University (SUU) has been awarded a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) totaling $1.35 million over three years to significantly expand the Utah Psychology Internship Consortium (UT-PIC). This groundbreaking initiative aims to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled behavioral health professionals dedicated to serving Utah’s rural communities—areas facing critical shortages in mental health and substance use disorder care.
The first-year award of $450,000 will launch the project, with an additional $900,000 in anticipated funding over the following two years. The proposal earned a high score from the HRSA review committee, which praised its clear workforce data, strong partnerships, and effective strategies. Reviewers highlighted the program’s detailed planning and commitment to ongoing improvement. SUU also received bonus points for successfully training psychologists to work in integrated care settings and underserved communities.
Utah, like many states, faces an urgent and growing need for qualified mental health providers, especially in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) where access to behavioral health services is limited. UT-PIC, established in 2019 and supported by the Utah Center for Rural Health at SUU, is a collaborative, accredited psychology internship program designed to meet this challenge by preparing culturally competent psychologists ready to serve these communities.
Since its inception, UT-PIC has successfully graduated 25 doctoral interns with a perfect 100% completion rate, with 80% of graduates employed in medically underserved areas. This new funding will allow UT-PIC to increase its internship capacity, enhance stipends to attract top candidates with strong connections to Utah, and provide advanced training focused on trauma-informed care and opioid and substance use disorder prevention and treatment.
“We are excited to expand UT-PIC and strengthen Utah’s behavioral health workforce,” said Rita Osborn, Executive Director of the Utah Center for Rural Health and Principal Investigator for the grant. “This grant will help us ensure that more qualified, compassionate psychologists are prepared and motivated to serve rural populations where the need is greatest. It augments an established program that was built by many committed local partners. ”
The program will also invest in retention efforts by creating a comprehensive support network for interns and alumni, including ongoing professional development, leadership opportunities, and enhanced alumni engagement. These measures are designed to foster long-term commitments to serving Utah’s most vulnerable communities.
This initiative reflects SUU’s commitment to addressing health disparities and improving access to quality behavioral health services across the state. A key strength of the project is its collaboration with partners like Intermountain Health, whose clinical sites and experienced providers offer interns hands-on training in integrated care. These partnerships play a vital role in preparing future psychologists to meet the needs of rural and underserved communities.
Funding Acknowledgment: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provided financial support for this project. The award provided 100% of total Year 1 costs and totaled $450,000. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.