Rural Community Toolbox: Funding & Resources for Rural Communities to Address Substance Misuse

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Psychology Minority Fellowship Program (MFP)

Link

https://ldi.apa.org/programs/minority-fellowship-program

Deadline

Application Deadline: Jan 15, 2025

Sponsor

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Purpose

Offers fellowship programs to prepare psychology master's and doctoral students and postdoctoral trainees for careers in behavioral health focused on serving communities of color. Develops cultural competency skills and awareness by providing financial support, specialized training, professional mentorship, and guidance. Aims to increase the number of practitioners and improve psychological and behavioral health outcomes of ethnic and racial minority communities. Fellows are required to commit to a minimum of 2 years' service after graduation addressing the behavioral health needs of underserved minority communities. Fellowships are administered by the American Psychological Association (APA) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The APA MFP offers 4 opportunities:

  • Services for Transition Age Youth (STAY) for terminal master's psychology students training to serve youth in communities of color ages 16 through 25 and their families.
  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (MHSAS) Doctoral Fellowship to support clinical, counseling and school psychology, and other psychology doctoral students whose training prepares them for careers in behavioral health services. Doctoral applicants may be considered for the MHSAS Policy Fellowship if they have experience or an interest in behavioral health public policy. MHSAS Policy fellows will have an opportunity for a paid summer internship at SAMHSA.
  • MHSAS Postdoctoral Fellowship to support specialized training of early career doctoral recipients who have a primary interest in behavioral health services, policy, or behavioral health and psychological well-being for minorities.
  • Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program (IMFP) to support master's and doctoral graduate students in improving the quality of behavioral healthcare for marginalized communities through participation in interdisciplinary community projects in partnership with local nonprofit organizations

Fellowship benefits include:

  • Financial support in the form of stipends and requests for in-kind supports, such as tuition remission, health insurance, or research assistantships from the universities and institutions where fellows are training
  • Limited funds for travel and related expenses, including travel to the Psychology Summer Institute for STAY fellows
  • Mentoring and career development opportunities from APA professionals
  • Training opportunities, enrichment activities, and access to APA information and resources
  • Building professional and peer relationships with psychologists focused on ethnic minority behavioral health issues

Predoctoral fellows may also receive dissertation support and assistance on a limited basis.

Amount of Funding

Award:

  • $13,000 per year for the STAY fellowship
  • $27,144 per year for the MHSAS doctoral fellowship
  • Financial support for MHSAS postdoctoral fellows is based on their level of training
  • $23,000 per year for IMFP doctoral fellows and $12,000 per year for IMFP master's fellows

The project period is 1 year with the ability to reapply and be reappointed as follows:

  • IMFP, STAY, and MHSAS doctoral fellows may receive the award up to 2 times
  • MHSAS predoctoral fellows may receive the award up to 3 times

Who Can Apply

All applicants for the master's and doctoral programs must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or noncitizen nationals.

STAY program applicants must:

  • Have a strong commitment to a career in mental health services with youth in communities of color ages 16 through 25 and their families
  • Be enrolled full-time for the entirety of the MFP fellowship in a terminal master's program in psychology that:
    • Prepares students to be license-eligible practitioners
    • Is located in the same department as an APA-accredited doctoral program
    • Is not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission, and is not a marriage and family therapy program
  • Be on track to graduate and/or receive the specialist/certificate portion of your master's program anytime in 2027 for the January 15, 2025 deadline
  • Be prepared to enter the field as a mental health practitioner immediately upon graduation

MHSAS doctoral applicants must:

  • Have a strong commitment to a career in ethnic minority behavioral health services or policy
  • Be enrolled full-time in an APA-accredited doctoral program during the fall term immediately following the application deadline
  • Not be interns; no fellowship support is available during a student's internship year
  • Be enrolled in doctoral academic program full-time during the MFP appointment period

MHSAS postdoctoral applicants must:

  • Have received a conferred doctoral degree from an APA accredited program within the last 5 years
  • Be engaged in, beginning, or applying to a specialized postdoctoral training program, not a permanent employment position, that starts by the fall immediately following the application deadline
  • Demonstrate support from an established sponsor at the applicant's postdoctoral institution
  • Have a strong commitment to a career in ethnic minority behavioral health services or policy

IMFP applicants must:

  • Be master's or doctoral students in psychology, nursing, social work, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, or substance use and addictions counseling
  • Commit to enter careers in behavioral health services for ethnic and racial minorities who have a mental or co-occurring mental and substance use disorder immediately upon graduation

Eligibility information specific to each IMFP discipline can be found on the program website.

Eligibility is not limited to individuals from communities of color. However, priority is given to African American, Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander applicants.

Geographic Coverage

Nationwide

What This Program Funds

Training Providers

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the APA-MFP online application system.

Application instructions, requirements, and other information about the application process for the STAY, MHSAS doctoral, MHSAS postdoctoral, and IMFP fellowships can be found on the program website.

Contact

For program questions:
202-336-6127
mfp@apa.org

Topics This Program Addresses

Healthcare Workforce • Mental Health