Building on the momentum of APA’s June Hill Day in support of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), the APA Leadership Development Institute, in collaboration with Bowie State University and APA Advocacy, convened a symposium that included a Capitol Hill advocacy day focused on sustaining federal investment in MFP. The event brought together MFP Fellows from APA and Bowie State’s Behavioral Health and Public Policy program (BHPP) for a day of training and legislative engagement. The BHPP program is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to empower behavioral health students, trainees, and practitioners to be policy leaders.
Participants began the day with an advocacy training session led by APA Advocacy staff, designed to prepare them for effective conversations with congressional offices. The students then met with legislative staff to advocate for at least level funding for the MFP in fiscal year (FY) 2026.
This advocacy effort comes at a critical time in the appropriations process. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have advanced their FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bills, each of which includes level funding for MFP of $19.5 million. While these bills have not yet reached the floor for a vote, the inclusion of MFP funding in committee drafts represents a significant achievement and reflects the impact of sustained advocacy efforts by APA Services, including those from the June Hill Day.
The symposium aimed to reinforce congressional support for investing in the behavioral health workforce and emphasized the importance of maintaining this funding in the final appropriations package. The participants’ engagement highlighted the value of the MFP in addressing critical mental health needs in underserved communities. As the appropriations process moves forward in the coming weeks, APA Services will continue its advocacy for MFP and other programs of importance to psychology.
For more information, contact Raegina Likewise.