MHARI Scholarship |
Bridging the Divide: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Behavioral Healthcare
Scholarship
Purpose
Seeking behavioral health treatment is a courageous decision. Research shows that people are more likely to report positive experiences in treatment when they share the race, ethnicity or gender of their provider. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBQT individuals, and people with disabilities are underrepresented as mental health consumers (patients/clients) and providers (professionals).
The Mental Health Association of Rhode Island (MHARI) aims to increase the availability of culturally and linguistically competent mental health providers in Rhode Island. The purpose of this program is to award scholarships and internships to Rhode Island College graduate students from diverse backgrounds in the School of Social Work and Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Supporting today’s students will diversify tomorrow's mental health professionals, thus increasing access to treatment and services for under-represented groups.
Scholarships
Each year, one social work graduate student and one mental health counseling graduate student will be selected for a $10,000 scholarship for tuition at Rhode Island College. The award will be paid directly to RIC.
Eligibility
Seeking behavioral health treatment is a courageous decision. Research shows that people are more likely to report positive experiences in treatment when they share the race, ethnicity or gender of their provider. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBQT individuals, and people with disabilities are underrepresented as mental health consumers (patients/clients) and providers (professionals).
The Mental Health Association of Rhode Island (MHARI) aims to increase the availability of culturally and linguistically competent mental health providers in Rhode Island. The purpose of this program is to award scholarships and internships to Rhode Island College graduate students from diverse backgrounds in the School of Social Work and Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Supporting today’s students will diversify tomorrow's mental health professionals, thus increasing access to treatment and services for under-represented groups.
Scholarships
Each year, one social work graduate student and one mental health counseling graduate student will be selected for a $10,000 scholarship for tuition at Rhode Island College. The award will be paid directly to RIC.
Eligibility
- Be a United States citizen, DACA Student, National, or hold an immigration visa. Persons with a temporary or student visa are not eligible.
- Be enrolled in full-time or part-time Master-level studies in the School of Social Work or Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Rhode Island College
- Recommended GPA of 3.0 or above
- Must demonstrate financial need
Must fall into one or more of the groups below:
- People who come from minority racial or ethnic groups (example: Black, Indigenous, People of Color)
- Speakers of English as a Second Language,
- LGBQT Individuals
- Person with a disability
Deadline to Apply
August 1st to apply for a scholarship
Instructions:
Applicants are encouraged to read the instructions and Application Preview before completing the application. If the application is not correctly submitted, the application will not be considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the application. An application cannot be revised once it is submitted.
All application materials must be uploaded directly to the application platform. For technical assistance, please contact laurie.pisciotta@mhair.org with the subject line "DEI SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION."
A complete application consists of:
online application form
- 2 recommendations from current or previous supervisors or instructors. Recommendations may not be from friends or family members. We will need contact information for each one.
- Your responses to 3 essay questions are submitted in a Word document, PDF or brief video.
- Academic transcript
- Financial documentation
After submitting an application, the applicant will receive an email confirmation from the DEI Program Manager of the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island. Applications will be forwarded to the Review Committee, which is composed of RIC faculty, MHARI staff, and Members of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council. The Review Committee will notify all applicants within 60 days of the deadline.