Community College Partnership Fills Education, Mental Health Gaps In Amador County

For many residents of rural California, attaining higher education can seem out of reach. That is especially true in Amador County, a region southeast of Sacramento where there is no community college or public university. Residents and researchers say there is also a shortage of mental health workers in the county. CapRadio’s Health Care Reporter Sammy Caiola, who had previously reported on mental health barriers in Amador County in her 2018 Rural Suicide series, joined the Insight program to discuss this unique partnership. Through Amador College Connect, students can enroll in online courses through Coastline Community College in Orange County to pursue a certificate or associate degree in human services. The MHSA scholarship program, administered by the Amador Community College Foundation, covers students’ tuition, fees and books. Since 2014, the county has awarded scholarships to 44 students who want to work in mental health, with preference given to applicants who have lived experience with mental health issues. Additional support like access to computers and WiFi is available through the Amador Economic Prosperity Center, which opened in June 2019. The program represents a dual solution — addressing both the lack of trained mental health professionals and the lack of a community college campus in the county. Listen to and read the full story at capradio.org.