Minority Fellowship Program: Reviewing Successes and Setting New Term Priorities
Nov 5, 2024 4:12 PM ET
Cyril Scovens II
The Peoples Press
Starting December 2024, the Minority Fellowship Program will begin its new term for 2024-2025 year.
Applicants wanting to be part of the program must submit papers on why they believe that they should be in the fellowship.
“We want to hold a space for more psychologist and counselors that are of minority status, we believe that by having those counselors it will be easier to connect to minorities that need mental health help” Jennifer Velotta, the MFP NAADAC Coordinator said. “We know that white psychologists outnumber psychologist of any other nationality, we are trying to change that number.”
All applicants that are accepted will receive fifteen thousand dollars in a conference that will be held in Atlanta, GA on Feb. 28, 2024.
The Minority Fellowship Program is for those at the master’s and doctoral level of schooling. This also includes those actively working in the field of addictions counseling that hold their master’s degree as well.
The Minority Fellowship Program consists of coordinators, advisors, mentors and mentees. Each with their own set of initiatives and responsibilities in the program. Some of those responsibilities entail checking applications, reviewing papers, and assigning mentors to mentees.
“There is a need for more minorities in the space of counseling, especially minorities that hold the licensure… in Maryland the license gives psychologist the ability to operate independently and open their own private practice…we want to empower people of color and put our faces and our work ethic in the field of psychology.” Amber Khan, an MFP Advisor said.
She continued “Being a Minority Fellowship advisor has been fulfilling, seeing all of the new mentees and psychologists and counselors work towards getting their license. It really shows that were making progress and creating some sort of change.”
The fellowship is an extension of the National Board of Certified Counselors. The NBCC focus is on providing and awarding scholarships and fellowships to said graduate students wanting to become professional counselors. The scholarships provided are mainly for those graduate students that are committed to serving those historically underserved communities.
The NBCC and the MFP are federally funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA funds all drug treatment and drug treatment research around the world.
These communities include underrepresented racial and ethnic populations, child/adolescent and geriatric groups, communities in inner cities and rural areas, LGBTQIA2S+ folx, those who are veterans or are from military families, or individuals seeking substance use disorder services.
“Our efforts are community focused, were building a network and community of licensed psychologists to go out and help the broader community of those individuals that don’t have a voice of their own…we realize how mental health impacts those in unfortunate circumstances and those who are underrepresented” Trent Hazzad, NBCC Coordinator said. “It’s hard to reach those people when they don’t have help from psychologist that look like them or come from a similar environment or upbringing.”
The virtual meeting was used to highlight the importance of this ever-building network of psychologists, counselors and graduate students. This term had the biggest turnout of coordinators, advisors and mentors. Another highlight of the meeting being that this was becoming a year for many applicants applying for the fellowship.
While being a fellow each member is encouraged to make sure that they know how to achieve a healthy work life balance. Understanding that their respective work and task must be completed before the deadline that had been set by coordinators of the program. Making sure that fellows are also ushering in new minority psychologist or counselors and introducing them to them NBCC and the fellowship.
The next virtual meeting for the fellows will be on Dec. 12, where coordinators will go over the fellow’s purpose and mission going forward. Making sure that everyone has made headway in the assignments that they were assigned. Also checking to see if any applicants and the papers they submitted have stood out.
