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Welcome from the MayaTech Corporation

By Kelly Wagner
MFP Project Director, The MayaTech Corporation


The Minority Fellowship Program Coordinating Center (MFPCC) would like to extend a warm welcome to the newest cohort of MFP fellows and any new readers of the MFP E-Newsletter from the six MFP grantee organizations: the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; the American Nurses Association; the American Psychiatric Association; the American Psychological Association-Traditional and Interdisciplinary MFP; the Council on Social Work Education; and the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. The MFPCC supports the MFP program through training, technical assistance, and resource dissemination designed to increase the substance abuse and mental health workforce in underserved communities. The MFPCC maintains the MFPCC website, publishes the Fellow of the Month series, develops, and disseminates the MFPCC E-Newsletter, and conducts webinars for MFP current and alumni fellows. More information on our planned activities for this year is below.

Fellow of the Month
The Fellow of the Month (FoM) series profiles current and alumni MFP fellows, who are self-nominated or recommended by one of the MFP grantee organizations or other MFP-related professionals, and shines a light on their backgrounds, goals, and accomplishments. You may view previous FoM profiles. The profile is disseminated through the MFPCC listserv and posted to the MFPCC website. If you are interested in recommending a FoM, please send an email with the nominee’s name and contact information. If you are interested in nominating yourself, you may use one of the following links to complete the profile: Current Fellows or Alumni Fellows.

Newsletters
The MFPCC E-Newsletter is an online quarterly publication that features articles written by local and national experts in their fields. Each issue includes two feature stories on topics of concern to substance use and mental health practitioners serving ethnic minority populations and/or describe current SAMHSA initiatives. You may access previous E-Newsletters. If you are an MFP grantee conducting mental health and/or substance abuse research that you would like to share, we are happy to invite you, as well as current and alumni MFP fellows, to serve as contributing authors. Please email us if you are interested in writing an article.

In addition to articles, the E-Newsletter includes highlights of the MFP grantee organizations and fellows. Are you conducting innovative research? Have you presented or published? Have you or your organization been recognized for your achievements? Let us highlight you in the MFPCC E-Newsletter! Please submit your MFP highlights and accomplishments.

Webinars
From February to July, the MFPCC hosts an exciting webinar series that will provide grantees and fellows with insight on emerging trends as well as promising, best, and evidence-based practices that support the resilience and emotional health of underserved minority communities. Webinars are typically scheduled for 2:00–3:30pm Eastern. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for these informative sessions. The tentative webinar schedule follows.

  • Utilizing Trauma Informed Care and Practices in Mental and Substance Use Disorder Services — February 23, 2022
    This webinar will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about incorporating trauma informed care into mental and substance use disorder services.
  • The Future of 988 and its Role in the Child and Adolescent Crisis System — March 23, 2022
    This webinar will discuss the anticipated rollout of 988, the new dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and its potential impact on the child and youth crisis prevention and response system.
  • MFP Community Connections (Fellow Presented Webinar) — April 27, 2022
    This webinar will provide participants with the opportunity to engage with other fellows and learn about their MFP research and community connections. If you are interested in sharing your community engagement efforts and/or lessons learned during this webinar, please sign up by February 28, 2022.
  • Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health in Communities of Color — May 25, 2022
    This facilitated panel discussion will inform participants about inequities in health care exacerbated by COVID-19, including existing racial and ethnic disparities when trying to access mental health treatment, and practical implications for supporting mental health needs in racial/ethnic minorities.
  • Providing Culturally Competent Mental and Substance Use Services — June 22, 2022
    This webinar will teach participants ways to provide culturally competent services in mental and substance use care and how to apply those services into practice.
  • The Role of Social Media in Supporting Mental Health Wellness — July 27, 2022
    This webinar will examine the benefits, risks, and practical implications of using social media to promote mental health wellness and services.

We welcome your ideas on how to enhance the existing resources and activities that the MFPCC supports, as well as new ideas on how to improve communications across the MFP and meet the evolving professional development needs of the MFP fellow community related to strengthening their skills as behavioral health professionals. You can reach us via email. To learn more about the MFPCC, please visit the SAMHSA MFP page. MFP fellows and alumni can access the Coordinating Center’s website. Welcome to the MFP community!