The mission of the Center is to train, educate, mentor, and prepare a cadre of professionals to address mental health disparities, and serve culturally diverse individuals and communities locally and across the globe.
The Center's vision is to inspire and empower students, clinicians, educators, and other providers as agents of social justice with a passion for and commitment to serving historically marginalized populations.
CMGMH is comprised of academic programs at William James College that focus primarily on historically marginalized groups and underserved communities.
CMGMH offers transformative immersion experiences that will expose, inform, and deepen students' knowledge, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and cultural fluency.
The United States is becoming more multiracial, multiethnic, and multilingual. Although racial/ethnic minorities represent 30% of the population, approximately 90% of mental health professionals identify as non-Hispanic White ( Annapolis Coalition, 2007). In 2013, only 5.3% of psychologists were Black/African American ( American Psychological Association, 2015) and today fewer than 5% of Black students are enrolled in graduate-level psychology programs ( APA Center for Workforce Studies, 2010). The paucity of mental health professionals from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds is a critical contributing factor to mental health disparities (Annapolis Coalition, 2007). A more racially/ethnically diverse mental health workforce is needed to increase competent and compassionate care for all people.
William James College's Black Mental Health Graduate Academy-an emerging academic pipeline program -is designed to recruit, mentor, and support Black students in Master's and Doctoral degree programs for mental health counseling and psychology. Under the auspices of the Center for Multicultural & Global Mental Health, the Academy will provide critical mentorship, career orientation, skill building, and professional enrichment to support academic excellence in graduate school. The Academy represents the College's commitment to decreasing racial/ethnic disparities by diversifying the mental health workforce and providing support to historically marginalized and underserved groups.
Scholars will receive socio-emotional and professional mentorship from student mentors with histories of multicultural advocacy and activism. Scholars and mentors will maintain regular contact through phones, emails, and social activities; and receive advice regarding academic and professional advancement.
Scholars will participate in academic and professional enrichment opportunities. Scholars will attend Master's and Doctoral Excellence Seminars to 1) develop professional-level writing and oral skills, study skills, interviewing skills, and leadership skills; and 2) explore common cultural challenges, application processes, and financial aid options. Scholars will also engage in a Service Learning Opportunity at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health's Office of Recovery and Empowerment. Scholars will voluntarily provide career advice and professional role modeling to racial/ethnic minority Certified Peer Specialists interested in pursuing mental health careers.
Scholars will attend Professional Development Dinners. In addition, scholars will be encouraged to seek public speaking opportunities on social justice and multicultural issues to promote confidence, professional skills, and growing expertise in a particular area of interest. Scholars will also be invited to attend two free continuing education events/programs at William James College.
To learn more about the Black Mental Health Graduate Academy, please contact:
Natalie Cort, PhD
Clinical Psychology Department
William James College
One Wells Avenue, Newton, MA 02459
natalie_cort@williamjames.edu
Note: An application form for Academy candidates will be available soon.
