Scholarship Overview

The Long Island Mental Health Professional Expansion Project Scholarship is funded by the U.S. Department of Education; Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The goal of this program is to increase the number and diversity of high-quality, trained providers available to address the shortages of mental health services professionals in schools served by partnering LEAs (Brentwood UFSD, Freeport UFSD, Uniondale UFSD). Scholarships will support new graduate students who meet the grant's eligibility criteria to earn a Master of Social Work (M.S.W), M.S. School Counseling, or M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree from Long Island University. Coursework completed at any Extension Center of the LIU Post Campus (i.e. Brentwood, Brooklyn) qualifies under this scholarship program. 

The Long Island Mental Health Professional Expansion Project covers tuition costs with the exception of a nominal annual fee to awarded students enrolling in the 60 Credit Social Work (M.S.W) program, 60 credit M.S. School Counseling program, or 60 Credit M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at LIU. Each program requires a field work component which includes placement in a partnering high-need school in Brentwood UFSD, Freeport UFSD, or Uniondale UFSD. Graduate students will receive professional development, mentoring, and coaching on the use of evidence-based practices, family and community stakeholder engagement, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to address mental health needs of students.

Eligibility for Scholarship

• You are or have been involved with the Brentwood, Freeport, or Uniondale Union Free School District or community with the goal of increasing the number of school-based mental health services providers from diverse backgrounds that have been traditionally underrepresented in the mental health workforce of high-need LEAs on Long Island. The scholarship committee will consider a full range of personal experiences that reflect the communities, identities, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, and cultures of the students in the high-need LEAs, including underserved students.

• You have completed your bachelor degree from an institution that meets the requirements for admission into one of the qualifying Master’s programs at LIU. 

• You apply, and are accepted, to one of LIU’s, Master of Social Work (M.S.W), M.S. School Counseling, or M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs

• Starting Year 3, awardees must maintain full-time enrollment every semester (nine credits or more) in order to complete your program within the timeframe of the grant. 

Out-of-Pocket Expenses

• Non-refundable LIU application fee ($50 per program)

• Nominal fee of $500 each year of scholarship

• Fees Associated with State Exams

Service Obligation: 

Click here to preview the LIMHPEP service obligation agreement

Click here to see F.A.Qs associated with the service obligation

Scholarship Awardees must submit a service obligation letter signed by both LIU and the graduate student. Graduate students must fulfill the terms set forth in the service obligation and upon completion of their program, work for two years in a high-need school as a School Social Worker or School Counselor or for two years as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor at an entity partnering with a high-need school district to deliver mental health services.