Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, at 5 pm MST
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). The mission of NLBHA is to influence national behavioral health policy, eliminate disparities in funding and access to services, and improve the quality of services and treatment outcomes for Latino populations.
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/university degree in mental health related academic fields. This includes the following disciplines: social work, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, or substance abuse or mental health programs, leading to a bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree.
Scholarship Awards
The JTR Scholarship Fund is managed by NLBHA who awards scholarships on an annual and competitive basis. They are awarded based upon the availability of funds and qualifying criteria determined by the NLBHA Board of Directors. Eligibility criteria for all scholarships include but are not limited to the following: commitment to help Latinos experiencing behavioral health conditions; commitment to work in the behavioral health field in New Mexico for two years post-graduation; demonstrated financial need, community service, leadership and academic accomplishments, and three letters of recommendation.
The JTR Scholarship Fund awards scholarships without regard to race, age, creed, religion, disability, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, but due to the primary mission and purpose, priority is given to individuals who self-identify as Latino/Hispanic/Chicano or another ethnic self-identifier as listed on the JTR Scholarship Application.
Application Guidelines
Eligibility Requirements
- U.S. citizens, legal residents, and DACA, who are or will be enrolled in a college or university are eligible to apply.
- Students who apply must be residents of New Mexico.
- Students eligible to apply include: bachelor level juniors or seniors and masters and doctoral level students enrolled full-time in a behavioral health degree program such as: social work, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, or substance abuse or mental health programs.
- Applicants must be accepted and continue to be enrolled as full time as defined of the enrolled college/university program for the 2024-2025 academic year.
- Scholarship recipients who disenroll from school entirely or enroll in less than full-time coursework (as defined by the enrolled college/university program for the 2024-2025 academic year) will be deemed ineligible and shall repay NLBHA for any disbursements received.
- Scholarship recipients agree to commit to working in the field of behavioral health in New Mexico for two years after their graduation. G.Scholarship recipients must provide voluntary service hours to NLBHA. Twenty (20) hours of voluntary service hours are required for every $1,000.00 scholarship award. Higher awards will increase required voluntary service hours. Students who would like to intern, rotate or practicum with NLBHA should indicate this on their application which will fulfill, in part, their voluntary service hours.
- All scholarship recipients will develop a plan with NLBHA Executive Director on how they will meet their voluntary service hours after accepting the scholarship and before beginning their college/university studies.
- Scholarship recipients agree to the conditions of the award and authorize NLBHA to use of photographs, student images, pictures, and biographies to promote, publicize and advertise the JTR Scholarships via website.
- Scholarship recipients must report to NLBHA any changes in their academic and enrollment status, residency, and/or name or address changes within 3 days of change in status.
- Scholarship recipients agree to be mentored by a NLBHA representative during the school year, assume assignments and tasks to fulfill services hours, and meet virtually at agreed upon times.
- Scholarship recipients must submit their grades from the Fall 2024 semester to NLBHA by January 31, 2025, and the Spring 2025 semester by May 31, 2025. An electronic verification of grades issued by the university or college is acceptable.
- Scholarship recipients agree to attend the Scholarship Recognition event hosted by NLBHA in Fall 2024. Scholarship recipients must make arrangements with professors, internship site, or employer to ensure your required attendance at this event.
- Students granted a scholarship agree to sign a Scholarship Agreement and attest to meeting all the conditions and terms stated in these guidelines.
How To Apply
Refer to the JTR Scholarship Guidelines for the requirements of each section included before completing the application. Refer to the Rubric for information regarding how applications are scored.
Application must be typed and filled out by the applicant. Sign and date your application and include all attachments as required. Please send electronically as described at the end of the form.
