Project Grant H79TI080359

NAADAC MINORITY FELLOWSHIP FOR ADDICTION COUNSELORS SUPPLMENT - THE NAADAC MINORITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR ADDICTION COUNSELORS SUPPLEMENTAL (NMFP-ACS) WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CULTURALLY-COMPETENT MASTER'S LEVEL COUNSELORS WITH ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER EDUCATION AND TRAINING THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO UNDERSERVED AND MINORITY POPULATIONS, AND TRANSITION AGE YOUTH (AGES 16-25) BY PROVIDING TUITION STIPENDS, EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE TO STUDENTS IN AN ACCREDITED MASTER'S PROGRAM IN COUNSELING THAT EXPANDS TO SOCIAL WORK, ADDICTION AND OTHER COUNSELING WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND WITH A DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO WORKING WITH UNDERSERVED AND MINORITY POPULATIONS, AND TRANSITION AGE YOUTH. THE NMFP-AC'S ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AND IMPROVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES FOR RACIALLY AND DIVERSE POPULATIONS BY ADDRESSING CURRENT CHALLENGES IN THE ADDICTIONS PROFESSION PERTAINING TO HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN ADDICTION PROFESSIONALS AND THE POPULATIONS THEY SERVE, AND INSUFFICIENT TRAINING OF ADDICTION PROFESSIONALS. TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS, THE NMFP-ACS'S OBJECTIVES ARE TO: (1) MANAGE AND DISTRIBUTE AN EXPANDED NUMBER OF STUDENT STIPENDS AND OTHER TRAINING RELATED COSTS TO SUPPORT MASTER'S STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THEIR ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, MATRICULATE INTO THE ADDITION PROFESSION, AND ENGAGE IN TREATING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, INCLUDING MINORITY POPULATIONS, LGBT POPULATIONS, AND TRANSITION AGE YOUTH; (2) EXPAND STIPEND ELIGIBILITY TO INCLUDE STUDENTS PURSUING A MASTER'S IN A RELATED DISCIPLINE SUCH AS SOCIAL WORK, ADDICTION AND OTHER COUNSELING, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS; (3) COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO SUPPORT THE EXPANDED POOL OF QUALIFIED NMFP-ACS ELIGIBLE STUDENTS AND FACILITATE THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING PROGRAM GOALS AND OUTCOMES, AND 4) COMPLY WITH DATA COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS. THE SUCCESS OF THE NMFP-ACS'S EFFORTS WILL BE MEASURED BY: (1) THE GRADUATION OF AT LEAST 15 NEW MASTER'S LEVEL COUNSELORS WITH AN ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER QUALIFIED EDUCATION AND TRAINING TRACK THAT WILL ADD TO A TOTAL OF AT LEAST 132 COUNSELORS OVER THE FOUR-YEAR GRANT PERIOD WHO WILL WORK WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, MINORITY POPULATIONS, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND/OR TRANSITION AGE YOUTH FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS POST-FELLOWSHIP AND COMPLETE SIX REQUIRED NAADAC WEBINAR TRAININGS ON THE SUBJECTS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCIES AND CULTURAL HUMILITY; BY AT LEAST 15 ADDICTION PROFESSIONALS EACH YEAR; AND (2) THE COMPLETION OF A DATA REVIEW ASSESSMENT EACH YEAR, FOLLOWED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW RECOMMENDATIONS.