Chiron Community Giving Foundation Awards the Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship a One-quarter Million Dollar Grant
July 28, 2025
The St. Louis-based non-profit Chiron Community Giving Foundation (CCGF) has awarded the College of Science and Health’s Department of Professional Counseling a $267,000 grant. This is the second year that CCGF has given Webster a grant. Last year, nearly $180,000 was received from CCGF. The grants are meant to allow the Department of Professional Counseling to expand upon student and faculty work accomplished through the Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship (WICS).
Chiron Community Giving Foundation provides opportunities, resources and support to nonprofit organizations addressing critical strategic issues affecting mental healthcare access in the St. Louis, MO region. In addition, CCGF conducts local research to inform development of programs and services, and to support improvements in the system of care.
“We are honored to have our work supported by CCGF, as the mission of the non-profit and of WICS are closely aligned,” said Professor Muthoni Musangali, chair of the Professional Counseling Department which oversees WICS in the College of Science and Health. “We are amid a mental health crisis that is decades in the making, spurred on by funding cuts to social services and a severely broken health system. Support by organizations such as the CCGF make a huge difference in the community, as it will help people get the treatment they need in areas where no other venues for treatment exist.”
The grant will support the annual “Community Convening” conference, where mental health professionals throughout the region discuss the challenges they face in the region and new techniques for treatment. The next Community Convening will be held Oct. 4, with two more scheduled for the first Saturday in October in 2026 and 2027. The funds also will continue to support Webster’s community liaison and clinical outreach coordinator who works with community partners in efforts to improve access to mental health services.
Overall, the grant is designed to promote high-quality mental health services in the St. Louis region, advance social justice by addressing inequities in treatment, and to enhance cultural competence among counselors who work with low-income individuals and marginalized groups.
WICS is aimed at addressing critical shortage of qualified professionals as well as service gaps in the field of mental and behavioral health within the greater Saint Louis region. WICS focuses on enhancing the preparation of master’s level counseling students to serve underserved children, adolescents, and youth who have experienced trauma or face marginalization due to various factors, including race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation.
Earlier this month, WICS received a $2.4 million federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training (BHWET) grant that will offer tuition stipends and enhanced clinical opportunities for professional counseling students.
To learn more about WICS and the partnerships in the community, visit the Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship.