Graduate Psychology Education Programs - This project aims to expand training for doctoral clinical psychology students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to address critical behavioral health challenges in underserved communities. Specifically, the program will enhance didactic and experiential learning in trauma-informed care, substance and opioid use disorder (SUD/OUD) prevention and treatment, integrated behavioral health, social determinants of health, behavioral health needs in children and young adults, cultural competency, and telehealth. To achieve these goals, we will develop and implement new didactics, expand recruitment of diverse students, and provide interprofessional training opportunities with other healthcare disciplines. Students will gain hands-on experience in a variety of underserved settings, delivering clinical assessments and treatments, consulting with other professionals, educating families and school staff, and providing outreach to rural healthcare providers. These activities will prepare students to deliver evidence-based, culturally competent care in high-need communities. We will also strengthen existing partnerships with service providers and develop new community-based collaborations to broaden the range of training opportunities. Faculty and staff will receive training to ensure the sustainability of these efforts, and program outcomes will be rigorously evaluated and shared with stakeholders to maximize impact. By training three cohorts of diverse, skilled psychologists, this project addresses the severe shortage of mental health providers in Alabama and other high-need regions. Graduates will be well-equipped to deliver high-quality, culturally sensitive care, improving access and outcomes for underserved populations facing significant behavioral health challenges. We request funding preference based on both Qualification 1 (high rate of placing graduates in practice settings serving medically underserved communities) and Qualification 2 (significant increase in these placements).
