Bachelor of Applied Science in Behavioral Health
Across North Central Washington, healthcare providers, behavioral health organizations,
educators, and community leaders consistently identified the same challenge: the demand
for behavioral health services was growing while the workforce needed to provide those
services struggled to keep pace. Communities faced persistent shortages of behavioral
health professionals, creating long wait times for patients and significant challenges
for employers trying to recruit and retain qualified staff. North Central Washington
needed an accessible, applied bachelor's-level pathway to strengthen and sustain the
behavioral health workforce.
Thriving Together North Central Washington, the region's Accountable Community of Health, and Dr. Julie Rickard, CEO and consultant with Moment by Moment Suicide Prevention, helped identify and elevate this regional need through years of community engagement, provider collaboration, and workforce discussions.
Wendy Brzezny, senior director of programs at Thriving Together North Central Washington, and Nancy Spurgeon, president of North Central Washington Area Health Education Center (NCW AHEC), convened regional partners, championed a shared vision, and secured development funding through Thriving Together and the Cambia Health Foundation. Together with Dr. Rickard and regional behavioral health leaders, they recognized the opportunity presented by Washington's newly established Behavioral Health Support Specialist (BHSS) credential—a groundbreaking workforce role designed to expand access to evidence-based behavioral healthcare and strengthen integrated care throughout the state. The Bachelor of Applied Science-Behavioral Health (BAS-BH) program was intentionally developed alongside this emerging workforce model, aligning curriculum with the University of Washington BHSS competency framework.
Beverly Warman, Wenatchee Valley College’s Addiction Studies program director, and Anne Ghinazzi of Big Bend Community College led development of the original program proposal, conducted workforce and employer analyses, and translated community need into an innovative academic program. They laid the foundation for what would become Washington's first collaboratively developed BAS program jointly implemented by two community colleges. They created a seamless bachelor's pathway for students already serving or preparing to serve the region's behavioral health workforce.
Following state approval, WVC recruited Dr. Kris Lau to lead implementation of the BAS-Behavioral Health program. Drawing upon nearly a decade of experience developing bachelor's-level behavioral health programs, together with experience as a psychologist, licensed mental health counselor, behavioral health agency director, educator, and program developer, Dr. Lau brought both clinical and operational perspectives to the work.
Every aspect of the BAS-BH program—from its hybrid delivery model and experiential learning to student support services and field practicum—was purposefully developed to prepare graduates to serve the unique strengths and needs of our communities. BAS-BH students are learning to provide culturally responsive, community-based care alongside Hispanic, Indigenous, agricultural, migrant, veteran, and other historically underserved populations. Graduates will be prepared to enter the workforce with the practical knowledge, professional behaviors, and confidence needed to contribute on day one.
The BAS-BH program launched in fall 2025, and the inaugural cohort of 30 students is now beginning field practicum experiences at multiple organizations throughout the five-county service area, including behavioral health and substance use treatment agencies, hospitals and healthcare organizations, primary care providers, educational systems, sheriff's offices, reentry programs, tribal organizations, veterans' services, and other community partners. A second full cohort of 30 students will begin the program in fall 2026, demonstrating the region's continued commitment to strengthening the behavioral health workforce. The practicum partnerships are a clear demonstration of what this program represents: community organizations committed to supporting students before the program even existed, recognizing that investing in local students today would strengthen behavioral healthcare for generations to come.