OhioMHAS GMF Continues Welcome Back Funds & Workforce Incentives

The Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is continuing its partnership with Health Impact Ohio (HIO) to support graduates of the Great Minds Fellowship (GMF) program and recipients of the GMF Workforce Commitment Incentive. Eligible individuals will be able to apply for recruitment and retention bonuses totaling $10,000.

The Great Minds Fellowship program and the GMF Workforce Commitment Incentive were designed to increase the number of Ohioans entering behavioral health professions, offering an important pathway for graduates to gain practical experience and join OhioMHAS-certified community behavioral health centers (CBHCs). Health Impact Ohio continues to facilitate the application process and ensures that qualified individuals receive their recruitment and retention bonuses.

Under this initiative, eligible Great Minds Fellowship program graduates and GMF Workforce Commitment Incentive recipients will receive:

• A $5,000 sign-on bonus upon accepting a position at an OhioMHAS-licensed CBHC
• An additional $5,000 bonus after completing one year of employment at a CBHC
• Click HERE for more information about the program and instructions on how to apply.

OhioMHAS announced an expanding partnership with Health Impact Ohio (HIO) to continue supporting former behavioral health professionals returning to the workforce. Beginning June 1, 2025, eligible returning professionals will be able to receive a $3,000 hiring bonus. The Welcome Back Campaign is designed to incentivize former behavioral health professionals to return to the workforce and join OhioMHAS-certified community behavioral health centers (CBHCs).

Under this initiative, eligible former behavioral health professionals will receive:

• A $3,000 sign-on bonus upon accepting a direct-care position at an OhioMHAS- certified CBHC.
• To receive the sign-on bonus, an eligible returning professional must be hired in a direct-care role between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2026.
• Click HERE for more information about the program and instructions on how to apply.

Funding for the Welcome Back hiring bonus will be provided through each OhioMHAS-certified CBHC that hires a former behavioral health professional into a direct-care role. Each returning professional must have been separated from the behavioral health workforce for at least 30 days. Reimbursement applications for the hiring bonus will open on June 1, 2025.