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NSCC Awarded Federal Grant to Expand Behavioral Health Workforce Training

Selected students will receive free tuition and a $6,000 stipend upon graduation

Danvers and Lynn, MA (11/03/2026) — North Shore Community College (NSCC) today announced that it has received a three-year federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand educational opportunities and workforce training in behavioral health and human services across the region.

The grant will support students enrolled in NSCC's Direct Support Certificate (DSC), Child and Youth Advocate (CYA), and Community Health Worker (CHW) certificate programs. Selected participants will receive free tuition and a $6,000 stipend upon graduation, helping reduce financial barriers to education and prepare students for careers serving individuals, families, and communities. Each certificate program must be completed in one year.

The three certificate programs prepare students for roles supporting people throughout our community at different stages of life and with a range of needs. Graduates can pursue careers in community health, child and youth advocacy, and direct support services, helping individuals access resources, navigate challenges, and build skills for greater independence and well-being.

"Expanding access to affordable, career-focused education is essential to strengthening our regional workforce," said Dr. Mary Meng Lee, Dean of NSCC's Human Services Division. "This grant will help students prepare for important roles in human services and behavioral health while creating pathways to further education and career advancement."

Pathway Opportunities

The initiative connects career-focused training with opportunities for continued education. Students earn college credits that can be applied toward associate degrees and, through established partnerships, transferred toward bachelor's degrees. These pathways allow students to prepare for employment while keeping the door open to further academic and career advancement.

Recent alumni Hernan Pataron '26 and Jocelynn Carrasco '26 made the most of an opportunity to advance their education and careers. Through the HRSA grant and employer funding, the married couple earned certificates in developmental disabilities before returning to NSCC to complete their associate degrees through the Free Community College program.

With this initiative, NSCC continues its commitment to accessible, affordable education that prepares students for meaningful careers and helps address the region's human services and behavioral health workforce needs.

North Shore Community College (NSCC) proudly serves 26+ cities and towns across Massachusetts' North Shore with campuses in Lynn and Danvers. Founded in 1965, NSCC delivers high-quality, affordable, and accessible education to more than 7,000 students in more than 40 unique degree and 30+ certificate programs each year, along with thousands of noncredit learners. The College also supports lifelong learning for more than 640,000 residents through workforce training, professional development, cultural enrichment, and community partnerships-demonstrating the enduring value of community college in transforming lives and strengthening the regional economy.

Media Attachments

NSCC's Danvers campus.

NSCC's Lynn campus.

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