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Jan. 26, 2015

Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology clinical mental health counseling student, Princilla Ursery, won the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) Minority Fellowship for Substance Abuse and Addiction. The fellowship provides her with assistance with tuition and training. Ursery has committed to two years post-graduation to working with youth in transition with substance abuse and possible mental illness.

The NBCC Minority Fellowship Program (NBCC MFP) strengthens the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in the counseling profession and increases the number of professional counselors skilled in providing effective services to underserved populations. The fellows obtain additional training in mental health and substance abuse, with specialty training in culturally competent service delivery. Fellows will provide leadership to the profession through education, research and practice benefiting vulnerable underserved consumers.

The fellowship program will further increase system capacity by providing online and conference-based training to practicing professional counselors. The program is funded by a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant of $1.6 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The federally funded MFP was created 40 years ago to increase access to culturally and clinically appropriate care for underserved minority populations with mental health or substance abuse disorders through fellowships.