Two Hazelden Betty Ford Grad School scholars awarded national fellowships

Center City, Minn. (Aug. 17, 2022) – As more Americans struggle with depression, anxiety, substance use, trauma, grief and coping in general, the need for safe, quality behavioral healthcare and support resources is greater than ever, and growing—and yet, there is a dearth of racial diversity in the substance use and mental health disorder treatment field. A fellowship aimed at correcting this disparity has been awarded to two Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School for Addiction Studies master's students.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funds the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) through a grant, which increases the number of culturally competent addiction counselors and mental health counselors available to underserved minority populations, with a specific focus on transition-age youth (ages 16–25).

The program administers up to 50 master's-level counseling fellowships of $15,000 for addictions counseling students, plus the travel expenses to participate in other program-related trainings. The full list of recipients can be viewed at: https://nbccf.org/programs/fellows/addictioncounseling.

Minorities include but are not limited to racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation, rural, or military groups. By strategically promoting and providing fellowships to master's-level counseling students, the NBCC MFP strengthens the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in counseling and increases the number of substance use disorder professional counselors who provide direct substance use disorder services to minority populations.

"This is an incredible accomplishment, and I am so proud of our students," said Kevin Doyle, EdD, president of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. "Preparing more students of color to be counselors will greatly help treatment providers to offer more culturally responsive care to more patients. Additionally, the fellowships also support students who will work with underserved populations, further addressing the dire need for a highly trained and skilled workforce."

Eligible applicants must demonstrate knowledge of and experience in addictions/substance use disorders services to one or more of the following: underserved minority communities, child/adolescent and geriatric groups, minority communities in inner cities and rural areas, minority persons (including LGBTQIA+), or those who are veterans or are from military families. 

The scholarship recipients

• Tina Tseng is an alcohol and drug counselor from Fremont, Calif. She plans to become a licensed professional of counseling in community or hospital settings, and to teach and train others who have the desire to follow the same path in helping people with mental health and substance use challenges. She has a passion for social justice, and said, "My heart told me that as an Asian American who has experienced mental health and substance use challenges, my story would help others." Her anticipated graduation date is December 2023.
• Susie Brooks is the founder and president of Veritas Academy, a small private classical K-12 school in Chisago City, Minn. Upon graduating with her master's, she plans to implement a substance use preventative program within Veritas. She is also involved in the local sheriff's department as a reserve deputy and is exploring counseling work within the jail system. Her anticipated graduation date is April 2023.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, as well as the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC), the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies upholds the highest standards of academic excellence and professional competence. Offering both on-campus and online program options, it is part of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the nation's largest nonprofit system of addiction treatment, mental health care, recovery resources and related prevention and education services.