The Josie Torralba Romero (JTR) Scholarship Fund seeks to honor its namesake, who was the first President and one of the founders of the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA); an organization dedicated to bringing attention to the great disparities that exist in Latino behavioral health access and utilization of services, research and behavioral health workforce development
Josie Torralba Romero, who passed away in 2004, had enormous dedication and love for the Latino community. Through her work as a social worker and advocate, she worked to help improve the country’s mental health, social and child welfare systems for Latinos and other populations. The JTR Scholarship Fund pays tribute to Josie’s legacy of “growing our own” by providing academic scholarships to Latino students interested in pursuing a college degree in mental health related academic areas in the college where the student has been admitted. This includes the following disciplines: social work, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, or substance abuse or mental health programs.
NLBHA, in collaboration with Institute of Mexicans Living Abroad (IMLA)/Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior (IME) through the Mexican Consulates in Albuquerque, NM; Miami, FL; Raleigh, NC; and El Paso, TX agree to provide scholarships to Mexican students attending college on a full-time basis to pursue a college degree in behavioral health.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
The JTR/IMLA/IME Scholarship is managed by NLBHA who will award scholarships for one year. They are awarded based upon the availability of funds and qualifying criteria determined by the NLBHA Board of Directors and the participating Mexican Consulates.
The JTR/IMLA/IME Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to students of Mexican origin without regard to race, age, creed, religion, disability, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
- All students must submit a completed and signed scholarship application in electronic format along with attachments by the deadline of Friday, September 15th , 2023. Do not submit a handwritten application. Applications received through the mail will not be accepted.
- Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
- All scholarship applications must be emailed to the attention of Laysha Chaparro at linethchap@hotmail.com Enter your name on the subject line. NLBHA will send an email reply within 48 hours to applicants to verify that the application was received. If you do not receive an email reply of receipt, follow up to ensure that your application has been received.
- Award notifications will be sent by email by early October, 2023. Students awarded scholarships will receive one disbursement in the fall of 2023.
- Students who receive scholarships agree to attend the Scholarship Recognition event hosted by NLBHA in the Fall 2023.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Students of Mexican origin including DACA, students enrolled, full-time in college are eligible to apply. Proof of Mexican national or person of Mexican origin will be required by providing one of the following documents: Mexican birth certificate of the applicant, Mexican birth certificate of their parents, Mexican passport, Mexican Consular ID Card, Mexican elector’s identification (IFE or INE).
- Applicant must be accepted and continue to be enrolled as a full time (12 credit hours or more) student at a college or university program for the 2023-2024 academic year. Students must attend the same college or university for the entire academic year.
- Associate level freshmen and sophomores; Bachelor level junior or seniors; Masters and Doctoral level students enrolled full-time in a behavioral health degree program to include: social work, psychology, counseling/therapy or psychiatry are eligible to apply.
- Proof of residence within the jurisdiction of one of the following Mexican Consulates:
| Mexican Consulate | Jurisdiction Map |
| Albuquerque, NM | https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/albuquerque/index.php/consulado/circunscripcion |
| Miami, FL | https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/miami/index.php/consulado/circunscripcion |
| Raleigh, NC | https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/raleigh/index.php/inicio/circunscripcion |
| El Paso, TX | https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/elpaso/index.php/el-consulado/consulado |
| Seattle, WA | https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/seattle/index.php/es/consul/circunscripcion |
For more information on the guidelines and to submit an application, click the button below:
