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The NAADAC Minority Fellowship Program for Addiction Counselors Supplemental (NMFP-ACS) will increase the number of culturally-competent Master's level counselors with addiction/substance use disorder (SUD) education and training that are available to underserved and minority populations, and transition age youth (ages 16-25) by providing tuition stipends, education, training, and professional guidance to students in an accredited Master's program in counseling that expands to social work, counseling, and nursing with an emphasis on addiction/SUDs and with a commitment to working with underserved and minority populations, and transition age youth. The NMFP-AC's goal is to reduce health disparities and improve behavioral health care outcomes for racially and diverse populations by addressing current challenges in the addictions profession pertaining to human infrastructure development, cultural misalignment between addiction professionals and the populations they serve, and insufficient training of addiction professionals. NMFP-ACS's objectives are to: manage and distribute an expanded number of student stipends and other training related costs to support Master's students in completing their addiction/SUD education and training, matriculate into the addition profession, and engage in treating underserved communities and underserved populations, including minority populations, LGBT populations, and transition age youth; expand stipend eligibility to include students pursuing a Master's in a related discipline such as social work, counseling, or addiction nursing with an emphasis on addiction/SUDs; collaborate with other professional organizations and educational institutions to support the expanded pool of qualified NMFP-ACS eligible students and facilitate the dissemination of information concerning program goals and outcomes; and comply with data collection requirements.

The National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program for Addictions Counselors (NBCC MFPAC) will award up to 20 additional master's level fellowships per year and provide additional training to these and other mental health professionals on culturally competent treatment for youth. The MFPAC expansion will expand eligibility requirements to include students pursuing a master's degree in counseling related educational tracks such as Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapy. These strategies will reduce health disparities by increasing the pool of culturally competent addictions and professional counselors as well as mental health professionals in related fields who are available to underserved at risk youth, adolescents, and transitional youth population in the public and private nonprofit sectors. Fellows will commit to serving minority youth after completing their university and supplementary training in the latest evidence-based interventions for serving this population. Online based trainings provided to the fellows will also be available to all National Certified Counselors in the United States. The Minority Fellowship Program-Youth Advisory Council is comprised of expert practitioners in the profession of counseling with experience providing mental health and substance abuse treatment to underserved minority youth populations and will select fellows and provide oversight of the program. NBCC MFPAC will partner with National Safe Place Network to provide internship sites for fellows to work with minority youth in community based and residential intervention programs. NBCC MFPAC will also improve service to underrepresented and underserved populations and provide training that is consistent with the latest scientific and clinical developments. A total of up to 180 masters' students and a minimum of 12,000 professional counselors will be trained through education and practice over four years.