Minority Fellowship Program Offers up to $20,000 in Support

For Immediate Release
Donovan Kuehn
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Expanding opportunities for a diverse workforce has taken a step forward as the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation announced support for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program.

This program, made possible by a grant awarded to NBCC by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will administer two dozen counseling fellowships, as well as training and collaboration activities that will be open to all National Certified Counselors.

“Many racial and ethnic groups do not have access to quality behavioral health care delivered by practitioners who truly understand the language and culture of the people they serve,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “This grant will help ensure that we can effectively meet the behavioral health needs of all Americans, regardless of language or culture, reducing health disparities and improving the overall health and well-being of everyone who needs behavioral health services.”

Doctoral fellowships of up to $20,000 are available to 24 doctoral-level professional counselors. Core requirements for fellowship eligibility include the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential*, enrollment in a CACREP-accredited doctoral program, demonstrated knowledge of and experience with racially and ethnically diverse populations and commitment to providing mental health and substance abuse services to underserved minority populations.

The application deadline is February 28, 2013, and fellowships will be awarded in April 2013.

For more information on the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program, please visit www.nbccf.org/mfp.

*Individuals who do not hold the NCC credential may apply if they can document all of the following: a full state license as a professional counselor; a passing score on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE), the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) or an NBCC-accepted state licensure examination; and a commitment to obtain the NCC within three months if awarded a fellowship.

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