Cal State LA has received a $48 million grant, the largest philanthropic gift in its history, to expand youth mental health services and workforce training across Los Angeles, the university announced Monday.
The five-year investment from Ballmer Group is aimed at increasing access to mental health care for children and families in underserved communities while preparing more counselors and social workers.
University officials said the funding will enable Cal State LA to train more than 1,000 additional social workers and family counselors through its Master of Social Work and School-Based Family Counseling programs.
“We deeply appreciate Ballmer Group for this grant, which will change lives across Los Angeles by preparing a new generation of counselors and social workers who reflect and understand the communities they serve,” Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes said in a statement. “We have always been a university of impact, and this partnership with Ballmer Group elevates our capacity to meet the critical mental health and wellness needs of children, youth, and families across the region.”
The expansion will include doubling enrollment in the university’s one-year Master of Social Work program, increasing its two-year program by 50% and doubling its School-Based Family Counseling program, officials said. Much of the funding will go toward student scholarships to reduce financial barriers for those pursuing public service careers.
Ballmer Group officials said the investment is intended to strengthen pathways into behavioral health careers and improve access to culturally responsive care in schools and communities.
Cal State LA is one of three universities in the Los Angeles region receiving funding through the initiative, along with UCLA and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The combined investment totals $110 million.