The funds for this program come from a federal grant called OIFSP, or Opioid Impacted Family Support Program.

In return for the financial supports from this program, applicants agree to provide paraprofessional support to children, adolescents, and transitional age youth with parents who have been impacted by OUD or other SUDs, and their family members in guardianship, for a period of up to one year through employment in an area of high need, as defined by the conditions of the Grant.

Many different positions and career paths across the helping profession are eligible for this grant. It is difficult to find a role within the helping field that does not work, at least in part, with those impacted by SUD. If you have questions about your eligibility, please check with the program coordinator Gabe (thorntonm4@nku.edu).

See OIFSP participation agreement below. Please sign if you agree to the terms.

If you need clarification about the contract, please email Gabe at thorntonm4@nku.edu.

NOTE: The contract is not effective until it is signed by the program coordinator or program director. This will occur after your application is approved. You'll be notified when you're fully admitted to the program; a fully signed copy of the contract will be returned to you for your records.

OIFSP Participation Agreement

Scholarships, internship and field placement stipends and apprenticeship stipends are supported by a Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration Opioid Impacted Families Support Paraprofessionals program (“Grant”). In return for these supports, applicants agree either to provide paraprofessional support to children, adolescents, and transitional age youth with parents who have been impacted by OUD or other SUDs, and their family members in guardianship, for a period of up to one year through employment in an area of high need, as defined by the conditions of the Grant.

An applicant becomes a participant in the stipend program only if this agreement is electronically signed by the applicant and by the Program Director or Coordinator.

The terms and conditions of participating in the Grant stipend are set forth below.

Section A: Obligations of the Program Director

1. The Program Director agrees to pay up to $4,000 of the undersigned applicant's qualifying tuition and fee expenses for courses in which the applicant is enrolled at Northern Kentucky University (NKU).
2. The Program Director agrees to pay up to $6,000 in stipends per NKU policies and procedures for completing all the experiential site requirements for a required internship or field placement course or its equivalent.
3. The Program Director further agrees to pay up to $7,500 in stipends per NKU policies and procedures for completing the Level II post-graduate apprenticeship.

Section B: Obligations of the Applicant

The applicant agrees to:

1. Maintain enrollment as a full- or part-time student in good academic standing, pursuing training in behavioral healthcare;
2. Notify the Program Coordinator promptly in writing of any delay in the applicant’s estimated completion date of the field placement or internship (e.g., due to a leave of absence approved by the school, withdrawal or dismissal from school);
3. Provide paraprofessional support to children, adolescents, and transitional age youth with parents who have been impacted by OUD or other SUDs, or their family members in guardianship, for a period of up to two years through full- or part-time employment in a an area of high need, as defined by the conditions of the Grant.
4. Undertake the support service in accord with the employment policies and procedures of the experiential training site that are in effect at the time of the participant’s site assignment, as set forth in the written guidance that will be provided to the applicant prior to commencing service.

Section C: Breach of OIFSP Contract

1. If the applicant:
   
   1. fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress;
   2. voluntarily terminates OIFSP training before the completion of such training; or
   3. is dismissed from NKU for disciplinary reasons.

then the applicant shall, instead of performing the service obligation, repay to NKU all OIFSP scholarship funds received under this Contract for the semester in which the breach occurs.

1. If the applicant fails to begin or complete the period of obligated service incurred under this Contract for any reason not specified in Paragraph 1 of this Section, the applicant may be liable to NKU for the total of the amounts paid by NKU to, or on behalf of, the applicant under Paragraph 1 of Section A of this Contract.
2. The total amount Northern Kentucky University may be entitled to recover under this Paragraph shall not exceed $4,000.
3. Any amount NKU is entitled to recover under this Section shall be paid within 1 year of the date the Program Director determines that the applicant is in breach of this written Contract.

Section D: Cancellation, Suspension and Waiver of Obligation

1. Any service or payment obligation incurred by the applicant under this Contract will be canceled upon the applicant’s death.
2. NKU will waive or suspend service obligations if the applicant enrolls as a full-time student in an accredited health-care related degree program;
3. The Program Director may waive or suspend the applicant’s service or payment obligation incurred under this Contract if the applicant's compliance with the terms and conditions of this Contract is:
   1. impossible or;
   2. would involve extreme hardship and enforcement would be unconscionable.

Section E: Contract Termination

The Program Director may terminate this Contract if, on or before August 31, 2028, the applicant:

1. Submits a written request to terminate this Contract and;
2. Repays to NKU all amounts paid to, or on behalf of, the applicant under Paragraph 1 of Section A of this Contract or;
3. Reaches a superseding written agreement with the Program Director.

The Program Director or her authorized representative must sign this Contract before it becomes effective.