Partnerships for Equity

Partnerships for Equity

The vision of Partnerships for Equity (PE) is to achieve behavioral health equity for all under-resourced groups by building diverse, sustainable partnerships that maximize resources.

  • The four main objectives:

    • Measurable Impact: Identify at least one project to be completed within one year of initiation and every fiscal year thereafter.
    • Diverse Voices: Engage stakeholders that represent and support the best interests of under-resourced groups.
    • Awareness: Raise awareness about Partnerships for Equity opportunities and broader behavioral health equity issues through publications and other external media.
    • Framework: Develop, implement, and evaluate a model for building effective multi-sector partnerships

    Current PE Groups

    PE in African Americans (PE-AA, established in September 2021)

The PE-AA Group’s work has led to several new partnerships and opportunities.

  • Reviewing policies to ensure eligible minority students in behavioral health programs can simultaneously access multiple sources of funding like stipends
  • Working with mainstream media to highlight the journeys of diverse young adults seeking mental health treatment
  • Supporting HBCU leadership and students with technical assistance to expand their behavioral health services and programs
  • Increased activity and representation with the White House HBCU Interagency Working Group and participation in their annual national HBCU conference

  • PE in Hispanics/Latinos (PE-HL, established in November 2021)

The PE-HL Group is developing a train-the-trainer toolkit to support Community Health Workers/Promotoras de Salud in creating an anti-stigma campaign. The toolkit will be available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese to ensure it is linguistically appropriate for different Hispanic/Latino communities.

Toolkit will include:

  • Stigma 101 with a focus on Hispanic/Latino communities
  • The importance of humanizing data through vignettes and storytelling
  • Best practices for reducing stigma at the individual, community, and institutional level
  • Practical ways to use the Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index (SASI)

  • PE in American Indian/Alaska Native (PE-AIAN, established in February 2022)

The PE-AIAN Group plans to support AIAN behavioral health students and practitioners by:

  • developing mentorship programs with experienced AIAN behavioral health practitioners,
  • building a support network among cohorts of students and practitioners, and
  • creating quality career exposure opportunities with our IHS partners.

Other potential activities include hosting a virtual career fair with a detailed training on utilizing USAJOBS, understanding job announcements, and uploading required documents. The PE-AIAN will also host listening sessions with students and practitioners to learn about their specific needs.

  • Future Partnerships for Equity Groups

    • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer (LGBTQ)
    • Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPIs)

    Have an idea for another PE Group? Contact us today to share your suggestions.

    Events

The National Hispanic/Latino ATTC, WESTAT, the National Hispanic/Latino MHTTC, and Shatterproof as part of the Partnerships for Equity to eliminate Behavioral Health Disparities for Hispanic/Latino communities are providing a three-part series designed to enhance education and information related to risk factors that contribute to substance use disorders (SUD) among Hispanic/Latino communities, particularly focused on Opioid and Fentanyl. The importance of crisis intervention strategies and skills helps to mitigate the cultural nuances of treatment and recovery. The presenter also discusses stigma, the 3 different types of stigma, and findings from the stigma index produced by Shatterproof. This training will provide Behavioral Health providers (CHW’s, promotors, project coordinators, social workers) a knowledge-based approach to early intervention and SUD identification for Hispanic and Latino providers.

Who should attend: Promotors, First Responders, Community Health Workers, Project Coordinators, Counselors, and Social Workers.

April 24, 2023 2 p.m. –⁠ 3:30 p.m. ET

May 2, 2023 2 p.m. –⁠ 3:30 p.m. ET

May 9, 2023 2 p.m. –⁠ 3:30 p.m. ET

Register or get for more information.

Partnerships for Equity in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Communities is pleased to announce a 3-part Virtual Behavioral Health Job Fair.

The purpose of the Virtual Behavioral Health Job Fair is to share information and knowledge about the USAJobs process and opportunities for behavioral health students and professionals to serve AIAN communities.

Partners include: SAMHSA; Indian Health Service; American Indian Higher Education Consortium

Who should join: Behavioral health students and professionals interested in federal employment as a pathway to serve AIAN communities.

October 13, 2022 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET Navigating USAJobs

October 20, 2022 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET Accessing IHS Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program

October 27, 2022 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET Exploring Behavioral Health Career Opportunities

National HBCU Historically Black Colleges and Universitites Week ConferenceThe U.S. Department of Education’s 2022 National HBCU Week Conference has selected SAMHSA’s Partnership for Equity African American Team to present the HBCU C.A.R.E.S. collaborative in a segment entitled: My HBCU C.A.R.E.S Supporting the Behavioral Health Workforce! The HBCU C.A.R.E.S. at Clark Atlanta University has inspired hundreds of undergraduates by offering over 470 presentations, as well as outreach via chat to 2,219 students at 64 various HBCU campuses! Partnership for Equity African American Team will present in partnership with the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and SAMHSA’s Office of Behavioral Health Equity. Learn more about the conference.

PE in African Americans Event: Diversity Inclusion Project Showcase (DIPS) for Dollars

  • Highlighted federal funding opportunities for HBCU behavioral health students and practitioners. Attendees represented various HBCUs including Albany State University, Bowie State University, North Carolina Central University, and North Carolina A&T State University.
  • Speakers included federal partners from National Institutes of Health, Indian Health Service, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Public Health Service, and the Department of Education. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program Directors shared detailed information about their programs in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Nursing, Psychiatry, Psychology, and Social Work.
  • Preliminary outcome data indicate that most attendees would recommend the event to a colleague. Participants shared that learning about “the resources available for budding and established professionals” and “the heft of information provided about the programs available” were most useful.

Last Updated: 04/21/2023