The 2024 NBCC Foundation Bridging the Gap Symposium is scheduled to take place May 30 - June 1, 2024, in the Washington DC area. As we plan for this event, we are in the process of selecting a theme. The theme contest we held last year was such a hit that we have decided to do it again this year, and we want your ideas!

**The winning submission will receive a $250 gift card!**

The Symposium themes from the past 3 years were: From Awareness to Action (2023), Elevating Families and Communities (2022), and Making Spaces for Unseen Faces (2021).

The theme for the 2024 Symposium should be timely, relevant to the work of the NBCC Foundation and NBCC, and relate to the issues facing the counseling community with regards to bridging the gap in mental health disparities for underserved and underrepresented communities.

The information submitted should include the theme name and a brief description. The submission deadline is July 15, 2023.

If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact us at foundation@nbcc.org. We look forward to your participation!

In the spirit of promoting our efforts toward the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential and maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice for the counseling profession, the NBCC Foundation in partnership with CCE is pleased to announce the NBCC Foundation ACS Training Award. The ACS award advances the professional identity and development of counselors throughout the nation.

Twenty (20) awards in the amount of $500 each are available.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Currently be board certified by holding the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification, maintained with no ethical holds or missed payments for a minimum of one year. 
• Must currently hold a master’s degree or higher in a mental health field. Degrees must be from a post-secondary educational institution or program accredited by an accrediting agency or state approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. 
• Have extensive clinical experience in providing mental health or substance abuse counseling services. 
• Commit to completing CCE-Approved Clinical Supervision (ACS) training from one of CCE’s approved training providers within 12 months of receiving the award. Providers are listed on CCE’s website: Required Training | ACS (cce-global.org)

 
The application opens May 15, 2023, and the application deadline is August 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm EDT.

Scholarship awardees will be notified by the end of December 2023.

For questions, please review our Frequently Asked Questions or e-mail foundation@nbcc.org.
If you experience any issues with the Submittable application platform, please email: Support@submittable.com.

CCE provides the funding for these awards, which the NBCC Foundation administers on CCE’s behalf. 

The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce a scholarship opportunity available through a partnership with the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE). This program provides financial assistance to individuals pursuing the training necessary for the Board Certified Coach (BCC) certification. Five (5) awards of $3,000 each are available to cover the costs of CCE-approved BCC training. You can find a list of CCE-approved BCC training providers on their website.
Training must be chosen within 12 months and an invoice or bill must be submitted to the NBCC Foundation. Funds will be remitted directly to the approved training provider. CCE reserves the right to adjust the award if the tuition is less than the award amount.
Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Not currently or previously certified as a BCC.
• Commit to applying for the BCC within 12 months of completion of the BCC training.
• Demonstrate exceptional coaching potential through one or more of the following:

1. Access to the population in need of coaching or working in a setting conducive to coaching.
2. Background in leadership.
3. Hold or pursuing a degree from a relevant program.

The application opens May 15, 2023, and the application deadline is August 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm EDT.

Scholarship awardees will be notified by the end of December 2023.
For questions, please review our Frequently Asked Questions or e-mail foundation@nbcc.org.
If you experience any issues with the Submittable application platform, please email: Support@submittable.com.
CCE provides the funding for these awards, which the NBCC Foundation administers on CCE’s behalf.

In the spirit of promoting our efforts toward increasing the capacity of capable counselors to service clients at the highest standards of clinical practice for the counseling profession, the NBCC Foundation in partnership with the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) is pleased to announce the Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) training award. The BC-TMH award increases the reach and professional development of counselors throughout the nation.

Twenty (20) awards in the amount of $500 each are available.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Currently be board certified by holding the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification, maintained with no ethical holds, OR must hold an active counseling license or a license in a relevant mental health field issued by their state of residence with no ethical holds.  
• Must currently hold a master’s degree or higher in a mental health field. Degrees must be from a post secondary educational institution or program accredited by an accrediting agency or state approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. 
• Have clinical experience in providing mental health or substance abuse counseling services. 
• Commit to completing CCE-approved telemental health (TMH) training from one of CCE's approved training providers within 12 months of receiving the award. 
• Commit to applying for the BC-TMH credential within 12 months of completion of the TMH training. 

The application opens May 15, 2023, and the application deadline is August 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm EDT.

Scholarship awardees will be notified by the end of December 2023.
For questions, please review our Frequently Asked Questions or e-mail foundation@nbcc.org. If you experience any issues with the Submittable application platform, please email: Support@submittable.com.

CCE provides the funding for these awards, which the NBCC Foundation administers on CCE’s behalf.

The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce the Domestic Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) scholarships. These scholarships are made possible by generous corporate support from the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE).

The goal of this scholarship program is to increase the number of available professional counselors providing quality career development services. In doing so, the GCDF scholarship program plays an important role in the Foundation’s mission to leverage the power of counseling by strategically focusing resources for positive change.

Six (6) domestic scholarships of up to $1,000 each are available to cover the costs of CCE-approved GCDF training. You can find a list of CCE-approved GCDF training providers on their website. Training must be chosen within 12 months and an invoice or bill must be submitted to the NBCC Foundation. Funds will be remitted directly to the approved training provider. CCE reserves the right to adjust the award if the tuition is less than the award amount.

Eligibility requirements include the following:

• Must currently be board certified by holding the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification. 
• Must possess a master’s degree. 
• Must be seeking initial GCDF credential. 
• Must commit to providing career counseling services for two years.  

 
The application opens May 15, 2023, and the application deadline is August 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm EDT.

Scholarship awardees will be notified by the end of December 2023.

For questions, please review our Frequently Asked Questions or e-mail foundation@nbcc.org.
If you experience any issues with the Submittable application platform, please email: Support@submittable.com.

CCE provides the funding for these awards, which the NBCC Foundation administers on CCE’s behalf.

The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce the International Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) scholarships. These scholarships are made possible by generous corporate support from the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE).

The goal of this scholarship program is to increase the number of available professional counselors providing quality career development services. In doing so, the GCDF scholarship program plays an important role in the Foundation’s mission to leverage the power of counseling by strategically focusing resources for positive change.

Two international scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each are available.

Eligibility requirements include the following:

• Must either hold an active GCDF credential in good standing and be enrolled in an advanced education program in counseling or be a student currently enrolled in both a GCDF training program and a post-bachelor’s counseling program, as appropriate to their country. 
• Must commit to providing career counseling services for two years.
  

The application opens May 15, 2023, and the deadline is August 31, 2023.

Scholarship awardees will be notified by the end of December 2023.  
For questions, see our Frequently Asked Questions. Please contact the Foundation at foundation@nbcc.org with any additional questions.   If you experience any issues with the Submittable application platform, please email:  Support@submittable.com.

CCE provides the funding for these awards, which the Foundation administers on CCE’s behalf. 

The NBCC Foundation is seeking dynamic presenters for our monthly webinar programs on:

1. Innovations in Counseling: Working with Minority Populations 
2. Building Professional Excellence

These webinars enhance care for underserved minorities and provide ongoing training to NCCs and CCE credential holders in addition to Foundation scholars and fellows. These resources become part of our capacity-building plan and are archived in our webinar library available on i-counseling. Webinars are conducted online, and no travel commitment is required from our webinar presenters. The NBCC Foundation handles all the logistics of managing the webinar platform, advertising and promotion. All webinar presenters must hold a minimum of a master's degree in counseling or a related mental health field and be a board certified counselor.

Please use this form to nominate a presenter for an NBCC Foundation webinar. 

The NBCC Foundation is seeking dynamic presenters for our monthly webinar programs on (1) Innovations in Counseling: Working with Minority Populations and (2) Building Professional Excellence. These webinars enhance care for underserved minorities and provide ongoing training to NCCs and CCE credential holders in addition to Foundation scholars and fellows. These resources become part of our capacity-building plan and are archived in our webinar library available on i-counseling. 

Webinars are conducted online, and no travel commitment is required from our webinar presenters. The NBCC Foundation handles all the logistics of managing the webinar platform, advertising and promotion. All webinar presenters must hold a minimum of a master's degree in counseling or a related mental health field and be a board certified counselor.

The NBCC Foundation (NBCCF) offers scholarships and fellowships to increase counseling services where they are needed most. NBCCF Board of Trustees determines priority areas annually. The current priority underserved areas are military communities, rural communities, minority populations, substance abuse, and career counseling and guidance. NBCCF also offers the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) scholarships and training awards. These awards enhance the careers of credentialed professionals by providing financial assistance to those seeking additional credentials and continuing education opportunities. 

NBCCF is accepting applications for volunteer application reviewers and mentors. 

NBCCF Volunteers Eligibility Requirements:

All NBCCF volunteers must meet the following eligibility requirements: 

• A master’s degree (or higher) in counseling and a minimum of two years of postgraduate experience. 

• Certification as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) in good standing.

• Counseling experience related to serving military, minority, rural populations, career counseling, or underserved minority populations.

• Volunteer application reviewers must commit to one review cycle.

• Volunteer mentors must commit to providing mentorship for a minimum of one year.

Application Reviewer Opportunities:

NBCCF volunteers will review scholarship and fellowship applications and rate applicants based on Board-determined criteria. Foundation staff will provide online training, the review periods will be 2-3 weeks in duration, and average eight hours of actual review time. All review processes will be online.

Interested NCCs should submit a brief letter of interest and résumé. The letter should demonstrate eligibility and availability and explain the potential candidate’s interest in being an application reviewer. 

Additional Eligibility Requirements for Reviewers:

      Fellowship and Scholarship Reviewers:

• Experience and knowledge with one or more of the following:

                 Career counseling and guidance

                 Substance abuse

                 Military and veteran populations

                 Rural communities

                 Underserved minority groups

                 Transition age youth

      CCE Scholarship Reviewers:

• Must hold one of the following CCE credentials, and be in good standing:

                  CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS)

                  Board Certified Coach (BCC)

                  Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF)

                  Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) 

• Extensive experience working with and knowledge of one or more of the populations that the listed credential holders serve.

Mentorship Opportunities:

Each year, the Foundation awards fellowships and scholarships to more than 80 counseling master’s students who commit to serving the Foundation’s priority underserved populations of military communities, rural communities and minority populations or providing career development services. The fellowships and scholarships provide substantial financial awards as well as training and support services, including mentors. 

Experienced master’s-level National Certified Counselors (NCCs) have the opportunity to volunteer as mentors for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) and NBCC Foundation scholarship program. Fellows and scholars with active mentor connections demonstrate increased success in completing master’s programs, contributing effective research, and attaining related employment and other opportunities. NBCCF will match mentors and Fellows or Scholars based on interests and experience. 

At minimum, mentors will provide four interactions with their assigned Fellow or Scholar and make themselves available for additional inquiries based on mutual agreement with their mentee. Mentors will receive online training and orientation prior to engagement. The duration of the commitment is one year. 

NCCs interested in mentoring can submit their application (including a brief letter of interest and résumé). The letter of interest should demonstrate eligibility and explain the candidate’s interest in being a mentor and expected achievements and outcomes for the mentoring process. 

Additional Eligibility Requirements for Mentors:

      Master’s Level Fellowship or Scholarship Mentors:

• Counseling experience related to serving military, minority, rural populations, career counseling, or underserved minority populations.
• Commit to providing mentorship for a minimum of one year. 

      Doctoral Level Fellowship Mentors:

• Doctoral degree in counseling and a minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience;
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with racially and ethnically diverse populations; and
• Counseling experience related to providing mental health or substance abuse services to underserved minority populations.
• Commit to providing mentorship for a minimum of one year. 

For more information about the Foundation scholarship and fellowship programs, visit www.nbccf.org  

The NBCC Foundation (NBCCF) is accepting proposals from individuals interested in presenting at its 2023 Bridging the Gap Symposium: Eliminating Mental Health Disparities, to be held June 2–4, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme for the Symposium is From Awareness to Action, with an emphasis on counseling skills, research, and resources that progress counseling practices and counselor education toward actionable change to address the mental health–related inequities and disparities faced by individuals and communities.

We welcome submissions from presenters who can provide creative and unique presentations that highlight evidence-based and culturally relevant practices or research addressing ways to serve and bridge the gap for: underserved communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals). Presenters are expected to include or cultivate with attendees action-oriented applications to implement lessons learned in their sessions.

Category Descriptions:

1. Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care – Topics that increase awareness of action-oriented and culturally relevant research and application of trauma-informed care for underserved clients and communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals).
2. Expanding Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents – Topics that increase awareness of disparities in care while demonstrating action-oriented and culturally relevant research and clinical practice for promoting optimal mental health and wellness for child and adolescent development. Focus must be on serving underserved clients and communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals).
3. Strengthening the Profession Through Leadership and Advocacy – Topics that increase awareness and demonstrate the significance of action-oriented counselor leadership, advocacy, and political engagement for issues that impact underserved clients and communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals).
4. Underserved Clients and Societal Institutions – Topics that increase awareness and understanding of racism, discrimination, and other societal or systemic barriers to care in educational, governmental, religious, health care, occupational, and other societal institutions. Presentation must increase awareness and understanding of serving underserved clients and communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals).
5. Decolonizing the Counseling Profession – Topics that increase awareness of action oriented and culturally relevant strategies and interventions to in the research, leadership, and practice of counseling, with a specific focus on unique needs and experiences of underserved clients and communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals).
6. Treatment of Substance Use and Addiction in Underserved Communities – Topics that increase awareness of action-oriented research and evidence-based practices in culturally relevant treatment of substance use disorder and addiction in serving underserved clients and communities (including underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, children, veterans, the elderly, military or rural populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals).

Proposal and Policy Guidelines:

Proposals to present must contain and convey sufficient detail to allow NBCCF’s Symposium Planning Committee to understand how the proposed presentation will contribute to the Symposium objectives. Selection is competitive, so you must submit a compelling and complete proposal.

• Persons presenting at the Symposium are expected to use material and language that does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, physical ability, and/or sexual orientation.
• If your proposal is selected, NBCCF reserves the right, with your consent, to revise presentation titles and/or edit the program summary for promotional and program materials. Please note the word/character limit as described below. NBCCF will adjust bios, titles, descriptions, and objectives that do not meet this requirement.
• Biography – 250 words
• Presentation Title – 100 characters
• Description and Objectives (combined) – 250 words
• NBCCF follows the style guide set forth by NBCC and Affiliates, and any edits necessary to conform with these requirements will be made.
• NBCCF reserves the right to cancel a presentation based on noncompliance at any point. This includes, but is not limited to, failure to register for the Symposium by the due date, failure to return required documents by the due date (e.g., agreement, presentation materials, bios, photos), or failure to make presenter changes by the due date.

No more than two proposals from one speaker will be considered. Please complete a separate application for each proposal.

Presentation Types:  

• 60-minute Keynote Presentation: The 60-minute sessions will be a standard keynote format consisting of a presentation and brief Q&A session.

Presenter Benefits Provided by NBCCF:

• Presenters (including co-presenters) receive a complimentary Symposium registration, including admission to the pre-Symposium events, concurrent presentations, and networking events as applicable.
• Presenters will receive a copy of their attendees’ evaluation report summary with presentation ratings and feedback after the Symposium.
• NBCCF does not pay an honorarium or expenses for presenting at the Symposium, but we hope that the benefits of being a part of our programming and sharing expertise with an emerging group of mental health counselors make the effort worthwhile for presenters.

Call for Presenter Proposal Evaluation:

Proposals are evaluated objectively with consideration of the following criteria:

• degree to which the proposed presentation meets the Symposium/program objectives
• presenter’s presentation skills and experience
• desirability of the topic
• clarity of learning objectives
• overall clarity of proposal

Other Speaker Requirements:

• Acknowledge availability to speak during any time frame of the event and do not request a change to the presentation time frame assigned, if selected.
• Work closely with event programming department and meet all deadlines.
• Design and provide high-quality PowerPoint, Prezi, or other similar presentations, in electronic format, by the deadline given.
• Recognize that a presentation is an opportunity to share information and is not a showcase for promotion of business, practice, service, or product.
• Acknowledge that although this event is being planned as an in-person event, circumstances may require the event to be delivered in a virtual format. Please take this into consideration when answering the question(s) related to adapting your presentation to a virtual format.