The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce two new scholarships for individuals pursuing a career in professional counseling. The scholarships highlight and support the Foundation’s mission of increasing access to mental health care through professional counseling services, particularly in underserved populations.

The Military Scholarship Program is designed to encourage servicemembers and veterans to embark on a career in counseling. The program provides financial support to students who enroll in a CACREP-approved counseling program during or after military service, and commit to serving military personnel after graduation.

Similarly, the Rural Scholarship Program offers financial support to students from rural areas who enroll in a CACREP-approved counseling program and commit to serving in these communities after graduation.

Scholarships for both programs will be in the amount of $3000 and five of each type will be offered every year. Recent military experience is required for the military scholarship, and residence in a rural area is a requirement for the rural scholarship. The deadline for application is October 31, 2009.

Individuals interested in obtaining more information about the scholarships or downloading an application should visit the Foundation’s Web site: http://www.nbccf.org/programs.

New Web Site in the Works; Donations on the Rise

The NBCC Foundation continues to grow and expand. A new Foundation Web site is being created to provide counselors and the public with information about the ongoing activities of the organization. In addition to updates on NBCCF programs and funding, the Web site will allow individuals to make contributions online and will also serve as a place to recognize the Foundation’s generous donors. Information about the new rural and military scholarships, as well as applications for both, will also be featured on this new site, which is expected to launch in August 2009.

In other Foundation news, fundraising is rising in concert with programming. Donations to the Foundation have increased by almost 50 percent in the first quarter of 2009, totaling $10,769. Already this year, 268 individuals have made donations, out of which 14 contributed $100 and five contributed $500 or more.

To visit the new NBCC Foundation Web site, slated to go live in August 2009, go to www.nbcc.org and click the Foundation button on the left side of NBCC’s home page.

NBCC Foundation Creates Scholarships

The NBCC Foundation Board of Trustees has created new scholarships for military personnel and individuals from rural areas seeking a profession in counseling.

The Board action was among several decisions made at its November meeting in Washington, DC.

The scholarships are the Foundation’s first ongoing funding program since its creation in 2005. They are intended to expand access to counseling services in those areas with the greatest need.

“There is a great need to address the mental health issues of our service men and women, and those in remote areas who have no provider, and this is our contribution to help meet that need,” said Dr. Wayne Lanning, Chair of the Foundation Board.

The scholarships will be in the amount of $3,000. Five of each type of scholarship will be offered every year. The military scholarships will be available to individuals with recent military experience who enroll in a counseling education program. Residence in a rural area will be a requirement for the rural scholarships. The Foundation hopes to have the program finalized and available this spring.

In addition to the scholarships, the Foundation approved funding for the Mental Health Facilitator (MHF) training program in two Asian countries. The Board provided $6,000 to introduce training of trainers in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, and it also authorized funds for emergency MHF training in China’s earthquake-ravaged Sichuan Province.

Foundation revenue continues to grow, with individual contributions reaching more than $30,000 in 2008. Sixty-one individuals contributed $100 or more in 2008, and three contributed $1,000. In all, 918 individuals chose to support the NBCC Foundation with contributions last year.

The Board also voted to retain its current slate of officers, with Dr. Wayne Lanning as Chair, Dr. William Byxbee as Vice Chair, and Dr. Carol Hightower Parker as Secretary-Treasurer. The other Trustees are Dr. Brenda Freeman and Ms. Harriet Fulbright.

The NBCC Foundation is dedicated to promoting mental health through the advancement of professional counseling and credentialing. Inquiries can be e-mailed to foundation@nbcc.org.

Foundation Growing

The NBCC Foundation is in a phase of evolution and growth. A distinguished group of leaders has been appointed to the Foundation Board of Trustees, including Dr. Wayne Lanning (Chair), Dr. William Byxbee (Vice-Chair), Dr. Carol Hightower Parker (Secretary-Treasurer), Ms. Harriet Mayor Fulbright (Public Trustee), Dr. Brenda Freeman (Trustee). Dr. Linda Foster (NBCC Past Chair) serves as liaison from the NBCC Board to the Foundation. Additionally, a new vice president of NBCC, David Bergman, J.D., will have direct staff responsibilities to the Foundation.

In February 2008, the Board of Trustees held a joint meeting with the NBCC Board of Directors. The meeting included training for trustees on their roles by the renowned fundraising expert, Dr. Jerold Panas. Dr. Panas, a leader in charitable giving, spent a day teaching board members and staff how to make the foundation successful. Trustees also discussed priorities and plans for the future, receiving a new charge from the NBCC Board. The Foundation Board will be meeting again in November 2008 to build on the progress made since February.

The Foundation has been active on the program front, providing a $10,000 grant to the NBCC International to help fund Mental Health Facilitator training in Malawi. The Mental Health Facilitator program focuses on improving access to community-based mental health care in foreign countries. The grant made possible the first MHF “training of trainers” course at the Guidance Counseling and Youth Development Centre for Africa in Lilongwe in February 2008.

The Foundation has also been active raising money for future programs. In Fiscal Year 2008, the Foundation raised $27,000 in individual contributions from NBCC certificants.

Foundation Officers Elected

The NBCC Foundation has passed another milestone in its development with the selection of Board officers. During a January 22 meeting in Puerto Rico, the Board elected Dr. Wayne Lanning as Chair, Dr. William Byxbee as Vice Chair, and Dr. Carol Hightower Parker as Secretary-Treasurer. Other Board members are Dr. Brenda Freeman and Harriet Mayor Fulbright, the Public Trustee. The Board is now focusing on general strategies and opportunities for seeking donor funding for initiatives promoting the goals of NBCC and its affiliates, including the development of the Mental Health Facilitator program.