Minority Fellowship Program Wins Doubled Funding

APA was awarded a grant totaling $7.1 million over the next five years by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to not only continue but to expand its Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), an amount nearly double its previous award.

The grant continues the 44-year tradition of the program at APA, which has trained more than 500 minority and underrepresented (M/UR) psychiatry residents—as well as those interested in serving M/UR populations—to teach, administer, conduct services research, and provide culturally competent mental health care to M/UR populations.

The current grant had been set to expire July 31, and President Donald Trump’s requested budget had called for an elimination of its funding. APA lobbied aggressively to raise the profile of the program and secure a renewal by meeting with appropriations committee leaders and encouraging members to send action alerts.

“Addressing racial disparities in health care is a core part of the APA strategic plan and a specific focus in my presidential term,” said APA President Altha Stewart, M.D. “The increased funding will allow us to expand the work of the fellows and support training that will impact the ability of all our members to provide culturally appropriate care and improve outcomes for all patients, especially those in minority and underserved communities.”

The funding boost will allow the program to support up to 30 new psychiatry fellows each year, up from the 20 fellows. The program will also support up to 60 medical students and undergraduates to encourage them to pursue a career in psychiatry, with a focus on serving racial/ethnic and underserved populations.

“The fact that SAMHSA nearly doubled the annual funding shows the importance and value of this effort, and we look forward to this APA program supporting our work to achieve mental health equity,” Stewart added.

Ranna Parekh, M.D., APA deputy medical director and director of the Division of Diversity and Health Equity, served as principal investigator of the grant. “While serious mental illnesses occur in all racial/ethnic and socioeconomic classes, minorities tend to be overrepresented among those most vulnerable to mental illness and in need of psychiatric care,” explained Parekh. “Yet the nation’s health care system does not have enough psychiatrists who are trained to provide culturally competent care.”

As part of the program, fellows receive mentorship from experts in psychiatry, establish relationships with peers from other academic institutions, serve on APA councils, participate in presentations at the Annual Meeting, and may have the opportunity to sit for a year on the APA Board of Trustees. The projects they establish serve minority and underrepresented groups.

Applicants for the program must be members of a racial/ethnic minority or have an interest in reducing mental health disparities. Each fellowship is for one to two years, and each fellow is awarded $25,000 for a research project in addressing mental health disparities. Applications will be accepted starting in November. ■

More information about the APA SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program can be accessed here.