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- By Native News Online Staff
AI/AN people represent only 0.13% of the psychology workforce. In Alaska, where 22% of the population is AIAN, there is a need for mental health research and services that represent and reflect the communities it serves. Provider shortages in rural areas, along with a potential lack of cultural understanding, can lead to AIAN Alaskans being unable to access mental and behavioral health care.
The five-year grant will launch the Alaska Natives into the Psychology Program, or ANPsych. Dr. E.J.R. David, a professor of psychology at UAA who led the grant application, will serve as the ANPsych program director.
“We need an approach that centers trust and relationships with AIAN communities, one rooted in collaboration, focused on strengths and committed to addressing systemic barriers. By emphasizing Indigenous and rural psychology, UAA’s psychology Ph.D. program is uniquely suited to address AIAN mental health needs in a more culturally congruent manner," David said in a press release.
Guided by a cultural advisory board and in collaboration with community organizations throughout Alaska, ANPsych will recruit Indigenous students into the UAA Psychology Ph.D. Program, support their educational journeys and connect them with tribal health organizations.
Additionally, ANPsych will provide full scholarships to qualified and eligible AIAN students who are accepted into the UAA Psychology Ph.D. program. The scholarships include a monthly living stipend, tuition and fees, a book allowance and research support. Upon graduation, ANPsych Scholars are expected to provide health care in organizations that serve AIAN communities.
For more information about the new ANPsych Program, visit the ANPsych website at uaa.alaska.edu/ansych.
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