ALBANY — The State University of New York has opened applications for the SUNY/Office of Mental Health (OMH) Scholarship Program.
Established in August 2022 by Gov. Kathy Hochul with a $4 million federal investment, the program provides scholarships, paid internships, fee waivers for graduate school applicants, and more to support students in mental health degree programs. It attracts, retains, and graduates students trained in the various mental health professions with the potential to positively affect the quality of mental health care for all New York State residents, with a focus on service to those individuals who may have historically lacked quality mental health care.
“The stigma surrounding mental health has diminished over the past several years, resulting in more Americans, including SUNY students, seeking care. With the mental health field projected to grow substantially by 2032, we must prepare more excellent, diverse professionals for the workforce,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said in a news release. “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.”
Students can apply for the scholarship at https://www.suny.edu/diversity/mentalhealth-scholarship/.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must major in a mental health discipline leading to a career as a mental health professional, be a resident of New York state and be in good academic standing (2.5 cumulative grade point average or better).
Eligible students must also maintain full-time status in a mental health career major and be at least a second-year undergraduate student with sophomore status or a first-year graduate student.
Scholarships provide up to three years of tuition, room and board, and fees. Undergraduate scholarships are up to $9,000/year, and graduate scholarships are up to $15,000/year, depending on need. Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Preference is given to candidates from low-income households, first-generation college students, veterans, AmeriCorps alumni, students who have overcome adversity, and students who are bilingual/multilingual.
As part of the program, SUNY is working with the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) to improve the quality of mental health care for all New York State residents by addressing the barriers and needs of individuals who have been historically underserved with quality mental health services, including the shortage of bilingual/multilingual clinicians.
Expanded access to a diverse workforce results in greater patient/client satisfaction, engagement, and retention in care. In addition to the scholarship program, SUNY is investing nearly $10 million in recurring annual funding starting with the 2023-24 budget to support state-operated campuses in expanding mental health services to students.