LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is expanding its partnership with public universities to strengthen the state’s child welfare workforce, with Ferris State University among three new schools joining the program.
Ferris State, along with Oakland University and Eastern Michigan University, is now part of the federally funded Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program, which provides social work students $5,000 to $15,000 per semester in exchange for a post-graduation commitment to serve under-resourced communities.
The program is managed by the University of Michigan and brings the total number of participating schools to eight statewide.
So far, 82 students are enrolled, with 25 graduates already completing the program and 19 now working for Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
State leaders said the initiative is critical as Michigan faces a shortage of child welfare workers.
Funding for the program has increased from $1.7 million to $4.5 million, helping universities like Ferris State prepare the next generation of child welfare professionals.