Minority Fellowship Program (MFP)
Healthcare Industry
Organizations Involved
Occupations Involved
Workforce Development Focus
Workforce Issues Addressed
Federal Department and Agencies
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), American Nurses Association (ANA), American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), National Board for Certified Counselors and Affiliates (NBCC), NAADAC: The Association for Addiction Professionals, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP)
Graduate students
Increasing number of healthcare workers
Attracting individuals who have not yet entered the workforce / labor force to work in a healthcare profession; Training individuals to work in a healthcare profession; Providing a benefit or incentive that encourages individuals to pursue a healthcare profession
Description
The Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) is an opportunity for behavioral health professionals to receive specialized training about how to better treat and serve patients who belong to cultural and ethnic minority backgrounds. It is offered through SAMHSA for master's students and doctoral students who identify as racial and/or ethnic minorities in the following disciplines: marriage and family therapy, nursing, professional counseling, psychiatry, psychology, social work and addiction treatment. Each year, over 400 fellows are accepted into the MFP through eight grantee organizations (who administer the program through individualized curricula based on type of behavioral health profession). Training can include professional development activities and clinical placements with patients. A main goal of the program is to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of the behavioral health workforce who work with patients from similar racial and ethnic backgrounds.