The U.S. Department of Education awarded the Miami University’s Department of Family Science and Social Work nearly $5 million in grant funds for scholarships and paid internships to put social work students in Hamilton, Northridge and Dayton schools. 

The social work students will help students who are struggling to cope with anxiety, depression, poverty, gun violence, food insecurity, suicidal thoughts and other problems, according to a press release from Miami. As interns, masters of social work students can receive a $4,000 scholarship and $4,500 stipend per semester while completing in-school internships. The grant will serve about 150 Miami student-social workers over a five year period.

“Mental health is a vital part of any school environment,” said Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli in a press release issued from Miami. “Having the additional Miami Intern students in the district to support the work of our Resiliency Coordinators is such a great opportunity. More students can be seen and more counselors can be trained for the future. Working with Miami, my alma mater, is a wonderful addition to our partnership program.”

Miami master’s of social work students will begin internships under this program later this year.