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FIU and M-DCPS Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Fellowship

Support for children’s mental health and well-being in schools is essential to promote student engagement, safety and learning. Expanding the capacity of school-based mental health providers in high-need schools is necessary to mitigate the national, state and local shortages of school professionals.

In partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Project DIG (Demonstration Innovative Grant) aims to recruit, prepare and train future school social workers from the Master of Social Work (MSW) program and school psychologists in the Ed.S. in School Psychology program to provide support for underserved communities, multilingual learners and those from low-income backgrounds, who may have limited access to mental health services.

This partnership provides tuition coverage and stipends to highly qualified graduate students in School Psychology and Social Work that demonstrate genuine interest and commitment to working in high-needs schools in M-DCPS. Thus, if awarded the fellowship for Project DIG, students must complete one year of employment in M-DCPS for each academic year (i.e., two semesters) funded by the project.

Program

Students in Ed.S. in School Psychology can receive the fellowship by completing a practicum and a 1,200-hour internship (full-time only) in M-DCPS. The goal is to have graduates accept employment in M-DCPS upon completion of the program. Most courses are offered in person at 5 p.m. on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. Few classes are offered in hybrid and online formats.

MSW I (Generalist) or MSW II (Advanced Clinical) students are eligible for the fellowship in the fall while only MSW I students are eligible for the fellowship in the spring. Students can apply for the fellowship if they are eligible for the applicable internship by the field application due date. It is expected that fellows join at least one professional association, such as the Miami-Dade County Association of School Social Workers and participate in the mentoring group and weekly supervision with their field instructor.

Fellowship Opportunities

Fellows receive paid tuition support at the in-state rate, along with stipends during practicum and internship in which they complete field experiences at M-DCPS. They will also receive travel funding to attend professional conferences.

Stipend amounts

  • Social Work practicum and internship $25 per hour
  • School Psychology field practicum $25 per hour and internship $33 per hour

Apply now

Eligible Graduate Programs

  • Master of Social Work

    • 60 credit hours
    • Clinical social work focused
    • 344-hour practicum and 576-hour internship opportunities
    • May specialize in school social work in practicum/internship

  • Master of Social Work Advanced Status

    • 33 credit hours of advanced clinical specialization courses
    • 576-hour internship opportunity
    • May specialize in school social work in practicum/internship

  • Ed.S. in School Psychology

    • 75 credit hours
    • Includes a 300-hour practicum and a year-long-school-based internship
    • Includes state-level certificate to work in Florida's public schools

Students should demonstrate clear interest and future goals to work in M-DCPS upon completing their graduate program.

FIU School Psychology Students at the NASP 2022 Convention in Boston, MA.

Apply

For social work

  1. Verify eligibility for MSW I or MSW II practicum for fall semester, or MSW I practicum for spring semester with your academic advisor.
  2. Apply to the fellowship by April 1 for fall internships and by August 1 for spring internships via the FIU AcademicWorks Scholarships website

    Please note: MSW I (Generalist) or MSW II (Advanced Clinical) students are eligible for the fellowship in the fall while only MSW I students are eligible for the fellowship in the spring. Students who apply for MSW I must be committed to completing their MSW II/III internships as part of Project DIG as well.

  3. Complete the general field application by May 5 for fall and September 5 for spring

For school psychology

  1. Download and complete the fellowship application form
  2. Submit the completed form to Andy Pham, project director, or Philip Lazarus, project co-director