The ELEVATE grant was created by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Behavioral Health Services to help address the critical shortage of behavioral health professionals in the county and improve recruitment and retention in underserved regions or settings. The goal of the ELEVATE grant is to educate, train and provide financial support to aspiring behavioral health workers (on their path from trainee to licensed professional) within San Diego County to meet the community mental health needs.
One of the objectives of the ELEVATE grant is for students to continue as associates at a county-funded site once their practicum experience is complete to increase lacking mental health services to San Diego County placements. By making and fulfilling this commitment, students may be eligible for benefits/incentives within the ELEVATE grant such as:
- A clinical stipend (see below for more information)
- Transportation reimbursements
- Funding for licensing support (i.e., exam registration fees or exam prep materials)
- Continuing education courses
Each benefit will have its own eligibility requirements. Requirements will be shared as applicable.
To be considered for the ELEVATE grant students must complete all the following requirements:
1) Submit the ELEVATE Application & Commitment Form and receive approval.
- This form should be completed before a student begins their practicum.
2) Complete their final practicum placement at a designated ELEVATE Site.
3) Agree to submit the ELEVATE Final Attestation Form at completion of the placement.
- Once we recieve this form, the team will verify with the academic program satisfactory completion of all academic training requirements.
Stipend Information
Students may be eligible to receive a stipend of up to $3750 pending confirmation of eligibility and funding. These stipends are funded by the ELEVATE grant with the commitment to address the shortage of behavioral health professionals to increase services to underserved populations. Stipends are educational grants, not tied to hours worked or productivity outcomes, but may be considered taxable income (of note: National University does not provide tax advice). This stipend supports their participation in a structured practicum experience aligned with the goals of the ELEVATE grant and their professional development as a student.
To qualify for the stipend, the following must all be true:
1) Applicant is a student of one of the following JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences programs:
- Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC)
- Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MAC)
- Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT)
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Only advanced practicum is required
2) Applicant must complete their practicum at one of the JFKSOPSS partner agencies as defined in the ELEVATE grant in San Diego County. As of 01/01/2026 those are:
- Community Research Foundation
- Episocal Community Services
- Fred Finch
- Exodus Recovery, Inc.
- Palomar Family Counseling Service
- UPAC
- Vista Hill Foundation
- NU Nurse Managed Clinic (in progress)
3) Applicant must complete all terms of their practicum/training as defined by the appropriate academic program and agreed upon by the site.
Approval Criteria
Please note that acceptance at one of these agencies for an ELEVATE slot does not guarantee that applicants will be eligible to receive the ELEVATE stipend and other benefits. The team will review the criteria outlined below, seeking additional information from the site, academic programs, or other relevant parties as needed to ensure that applicants are given equitable consideration for this opportunity. The Senior Director of Clinical Training will provide final approval for acceptance into the ELEVATE program.
Review process includes, but may not be limited to:
- Verification that applicant has been offered a position at an ELEVATE site.
- Verification that the agency has an ELEVATE designated slot available.
- Verification that all documentation required by applicable academic program (in or outside of ELC) has been completed.
Once the team has reviewed the application, applicants will be notified if there is a confirmed ELEVATE slot. At program launch, applications will be reviewed and approved on a first-come first-serve basis until ELEVATE slots are filled within a given agency and overall for the year. Additional criteria may be added in the future.
Stipends
To receive the full stipend amount, the student must satisfactorily perform the entirety of their Academic Training Requirements at the designated ELEVATE Site.
- Students who are approved for an ELEVATE stipend, and begin, but do not complete their practicum at an ELEVATE site are not eligible to receive ELEVATE stipend funds.
- Students who started practicum at a non-ELEVATE site and are requesting to complete their practicum at an ELEVATE site will be considered on a case-by-case basis for approval and stipend amount.
Important Information:
- Students are expected to comply with all applicable NU and program policies, including the Student Code of Conduct, confidentiality standards (such as FERPA) and any internship-specific guidelines provided by their academic program or site supervisor.
- Students are encouraged to retain a copy of this completed application for their records. The BBS may conduct audits.
- Information for MFT, PCC/CMHC and MSW Students Regarding Legal Compliance per BBS:
- All Trainees must be either unpaid volunteers or W-2 employees, or recipients of stipends not tied to direct compensation for services.
- No 1099/Contractor Pay: Per BBS, trainees may not be paid as independent contractors.
- Stipends may be awarded only if aligned with workforce development goals (e.g., support for underserved regions or underrepresented groups):
- ELEVATE grant was launched in response to the County of San Diego’s 2022 report entitled Addressing San Diego’s Behavioral Health Workers Shortage with the primary goal of increasing services to underserved populations.