The first and only program of its kind, the Behavioral Health Public Policy program was designed to build policy leadership within the behavioral health workforce. A partnership between APA and Bowie State University (BSU), this innovative program equips behavioral health students, trainees, and practitioners with the tools they need to drive meaningful change in behavioral health policy.
“This program is designed to empower our fellows not only with knowledge, but with the tools to shape public policy and drive systemic change for communities that need it most,” said Janice Haskins, PhD, head of APA’s Leadership Development Institute. “Our fellows are already deeply committed to advancing behavioral health equity. Giving them the tools to engage at the policy level just makes sense.”
“This is a new type of training for behavioral health professionals,” said James Hyman, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Management, Marketing, and Public Administration at BSU. “Through BHPP, we hope to empower these professionals to effectively engage in the design and implementation of such policies and programs in ways that can benefit the peoples and communities who need them.”
Twenty-eight fellows from APA’s Minority Fellowship Programopens in new window, representing the disciplines of clinical psychology, mental health counseling, social work, and psychiatric nursing, were selected to participate in the inaugural BHPP cohort. Participants began the program with a two-day symposium at BSU’s campus in Bowie, Maryland, led by Haskins and Hyman.
Over the course of the next year, participants will complete intensive coursework in public administration, policy analysis, and program evaluation, before completing a hands-on capstone project in 2026.
This initiative is part of APA’s broader commitment to advancing health equity. By equipping behavioral health professionals with policy expertise and advocacy skills, the program empowers participants—many of whom serve historically underresourced communities—to influence the systems that drive behavioral health inequities. Through this training, they become catalysts for structural change that reduces disparities and promotes equitable mental and behavioral health outcomes.
For questions about the BHPP program, contact the Leadership Development Instituteopens in new window.
