The Counselor Education Department at Winona State University is extending its relationship with Family Service Rochester. Family Service Rochester is a non-profit organization founded to support the quality of life for individuals and families in its community. Family Service Rochester listens to what people need and together, build better lives. Family Service Rochester provides more than 30 programs addressing mental health, child well-being, family stability, and senior independence that include BIPOC and historically underrepresented communities in 12 counties in southeast Minnesota. Scott Maloney, Executive Director has committed to partnering with Winona State University Counselor Education Department on this MN Department of Health grant process.

This partnership both informs and supports our commitment to expanding our work with underserved communities. WSU-CED has a longstanding relationship with social service providers in mental health. We routinely place students at sites serving marginalized clients. We invite members of the mental health community to serve on our advisory board and prioritize the inclusion of practitioners of color, and practitioners working in agencies that serve communities of color. We are a social justice and advocacy focused counselor training program that consistently fosters community engagement with and for our students to better prepare them for service to underserved and/or marginalized communities of color.