For many years, APA Services has prioritized advocating for increased funding for the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). The program serves a dual purpose to both increase the number of people of color that are mental health professionals and increase access to mental health services in underserved areas. It provides funding for the training, career development, and mentoring of mental and behavioral health professionals to work with people of color.
As a result of APA Services advocacy efforts, funding has increased for the program each year for the last several years. The program is currently funded at $16.2 million. For the last two years, our advocacy summits have included requests by APA members to fund this program.
MFP fellows have gone on to prominent positions in behavioral health services and policy development. Wizdom Powell, PhD, was an MFP fellow between 2000-02 and is now director of the Health Disparities Institute and associate professor of psychiatry at UConn Health. Powell recently testified at the February 2 House Committee on Ways and Means hearing on the U.S. mental health crisis. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, was an MFP fellow between 1990-93 and is currently the assistant secretary for mental health and substance use for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The program focuses on training students, postdoctoral fellows, and residents to be culturally and linguistically competent to adequately address the needs in underserved areas. It funds trainees in psychology, nursing, social work, psychiatry, professional counseling, and marriage and family therapy. Strong barriers for people of color to access mental health services continue to persist. MFP is essential to ensure there are culturally competent behavioral health professionals, as they are key to improving health care outcomes for underserved communities.
To learn more about the program or apply for a fellowship, visit MFP's website.
For more information, contact Serena Dávila.