Minority Fellowship Program

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2011 for Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grants. The purpose of this three-year grant program is to reduce health disparities and improve health care outcomes of racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals available to underserved populations in the public and private non-profit sectors. The mental health and substance abuse needs of racial and ethnic minority communities within the United States have been historically underserved by trained practitioners sensitive to the cultural issues or equipped with the language skills that impact effective services delivery. In 1974, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) established the MFP to enhance services to minority communities through specialized training of mental health professionals in psychiatry, nursing, social work, and psychology. In 1992, SAMHSA was established, and the MFP was transferred from NIMH to CMHS in SAMHSA. Eligibility for this grant was expanded by Congress in FY 2007 to include a fifth professional association, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. SAMHSA has demonstrated that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover from mental and substance use disorders. Behavioral health services improve health status and reduce health care and other costs to society. Continued improvement in the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services provides a cost effective opportunity to advance and protect the Nation’s health. To continue to improve the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services, SAMHSA has identified eight Strategic Initiatives to focus the Agency’s work on people and emerging opportunities. More information is available at the SAMHSA website: http://www.samhsa.gov/About/strategy.aspx. The MFP closely aligns with the Affordable Care Act and SAMHSA’s Eight Strategic Initiatives by addressing the current and projected behavioral health workforce shortages and the need to train providers on recovery-based practices. Applications responsive to this Request for Application must support or expand capacity to address the following Strategic Initiative: Health Reform Broaden health coverage to increase access to appropriate high quality care, and to reduce disparities that currently exist between the availability of services for substance abuse, mental disorders, and other medical conditions. Minority Fellowship Program grants are authorized under Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Mental Health and Mental Disorders Topic area HP2020-28 and Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-40.

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