By Frank Lipp | April 15, 2024
University at Albany Downtown Campus.
Photo Credit: Mattie Fitzpatrick / The ASP
Applications have now closed for the State University of New York (SUNY) Office of Mental Health Scholarship Program. This program, which was formed in August of 2022, offers scholarships to students in the mental health disciplines as they work towards a professional career. Applications opened on Feb. 21.
This program was created by Governor Kathy Hochul in collaboration with the SUNY Office of Mental Health; Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; as well as a number of other SUNY schools.
According to the program’s website, the SUNY school system takes the improvement of mental health care with great importance. SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said that this program was created to “recruit, retain, and graduate students in various areas of the mental healthcare sector.”
SUNY is also putting an emphasis on improving the mental health care of those who have come from disadvantaged backgrounds regarding mental health care services. Preferences will be given to applicants coming from low-income backgrounds, first-generation college students, and veterans, among others.
“Students are more likely to seek out mental health services when they encounter a diverse community of practitioners with diverse backgrounds. This scholarship addresses that by making mental health degrees more accessible to everyone,” said SUNY Chancellor King Jr. in his announcement.
Key parts of this program include access to scholarships, development workshops, and paid internships, among other things. Students have access to more resources in their program
This program is open to second-year undergraduate students with sophomore status and first-year graduate students who major in a mental health discipline that leads to a career as a professional in the mental health field. Additionally, recipients have to be a United States citizen or permanent resident of New York and the United States, have at least a 2.5 GPA, and maintain a full-time student status in a mental health career major.
The deadline for applying to this program has passed, but they will most likely open up again next year.