News & Announcements

Mental Health INterdisciplinary Training (MINT) Program


April 11, 2024


The MU School of Social Work is recruiting master’s students interested in interdisciplinary school mental health practitioner training leading to state credentialing in school social work, school psychology, or school counseling.

The MINT Program Trainee includes:

  • Paid tuition for two years (during completion of master’s course work)
  • Annual stipend of $19,020
  • Eligibility for state credentialing in school psychology, school counseling, or social work upon completion of the student’s program
  • Opportunities for both on-campus and online/remote learners
  • High-quality interdisciplinary training across school psychology, school counseling, and school social work, including learning to implement an innovative school mental health model with population impact
  • Agree to work in high needs schools after graduation

Download a printable flyer

Who is eligible?

The goal of the program is to provide financial support and opportunity to applicants who come from low resourced communities, schools, and families or for persons who are underrepresented in education such as first-generation college students or other underrepresented groups. Students who meet these criteria are encouraged to apply.
Out of state applicants are encouraged to apply — however, because the MINT funding is from the U.S. Department of Education, we are not able to fund international applicants.

How to apply

MINT applicants must first apply to and be admitted into a University of Missouri’s graduate program in school psychology, school counseling, or social work. In your application to the degree program of your choice, please specify your interest in being considered for a MINT Scholarship.

What to expect

Year 1: Scholars will build skills through their required program degree coursework plus MINT specific training. Training is aimed at building awareness and knowledge in Functional Behavior Assessments and behavior intervention planning, evidence-based interventions for tired school-based applications, data driven student support and team-based decision-making models, engagement skills such as motivational interviewing, youth-school-family support interventions such as the Family Check Up, and teacher support programs such as the Classroom Check Up.

Year 2: MINT Scholars will be expected to spend 20 hours/week in a low-resourced and high needs school implementing supports for high risk and high needs students. High needs schools are defined as at least 65% of students at the school are eligible for subsidized lunch. Scholars will have access to professional supervision and support throughout their training.

After graduation: The Department of Education — which funds MINT — expects MINT scholars to work in low-resourced schools and/or with high-risk youth for 1.5 years for every year of MINT funding upon graduation. For example, two years of MINT funding equals a three-year commitment to working in low-resourced schools and/or with high-risk youth.

Apply to the MSW program

The Mizzou Master of Social Work program has a full-time on campus option and a part-time online option. Learn more about the Mizzou MSW.

Apply for the MINT program

This training program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Contact Aaron Thompson or Andy Frey to apply or learn more about this program.


Featured in this post

Aaron Thompson

Aaron M. Thompson

Director and Professor, School of Social Work

Andy Frey

Andy Frey

Professor