The university of montana indians into psychology (INPSYCH) program - significant disparities exist in access to quality mental health care among american indian/alaska native populations

These disparities exist in concert with an ongoing shortage of psychologists with indigenous identities. As a result, there is an urgent need to increase the recruitment and training of doctoral-level american indian/alaska native psychologists who are committed to serving indigenous communities. Indeed, data from the american psychological association (2019) indicates that the number of american indian/alaska native psychologists has remained stable, even as the number of psychologists from other ethnic minority groups has increased. To rectify these circumstances, the university of montana's indians into psychology (INPSYCH) program seeks continued funding from indian health service to advance the following aims: 1. Create educational programs and opportunities that support AI/an undergraduate students and prospective graduate students' pursuits of careers in mental/behavioral health; 2. Recruit AI/an doctoral level clinical psychology students to the university of montana and provide state of the art training in health service psychology using the scientist-practitioner comprehensive educational framework; and 3. Provide educational experiences and clinical training activities that enhance development of doctoral level profession wide competencies to support clinical health service delivery to AI/an populations. The INPSYCH program has a successful track record of meeting these aims, and has the continued support of the university, department, community, and external advisory board and evaluators. This proposal requests funding for the first year of the next five-year cycle (7/1/24-6/30/29)