Therapy That Reaches Beyond the Therapy Room
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School-based mental health initiative — Last year, Ford piloted a 12-week curriculum that delivered coping skills, group processing, and referral resources to 60+ middle school students.
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Community-wide advocacy — As a leader with North Louisiana Interfaith, he helps residents secure fair housing, safer streets, and affordable utilities practical victories that lighten the mental-health load for everyone.
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Youth mentorship on the gridiron — Most Friday evenings, you’ll find Addison on a football field, coaching adolescents who, like many of his clients, benefit from structure, mentorship, and the knowledge that an adult believes in them.
How the USTR Fellowship Fuels Impact
Addison’s trajectory illustrates why the USTR Fellowship exists. The program offers:
| Fellowship Advantage |
Addison’s Result |
| $15 K living stipend that removes financial barriers to exam prep |
Able to reduce overtime hours and dedicate evenings to licensure study |
| Mentorship from licensed clinicians of color |
Built a peer network that now co-facilitates his school program |
| Tailored ASWB study groups |
Currently completing final practice exams with confidence |
The payoff is tangible: 66 % of USTR Fellows pass the social work licensure exam on their first attempt, 20 points above the national average. Ford expects to add his name to that list later this summer.
“Mental Health access shouldn’t depend on a ZIP Code.”
“The Fellowship didn’t just prepare me for an exam,” Ford says. “It showed me how to translate clinical expertise into neighborhood-level change. Mental-health access shouldn’t depend on a ZIP Code.”
What Comes Next and How You Can Help
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Licensure & leadership — Once credentialed, Addison will expand his school-based model to two additional parishes.
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Scaling the Fellowship — Every $1,500 donated covers exam fees and study materials for another emerging therapist like Addison.
Support fellows who stay and serve in the communities that need them most.
🔗 Learn more or make a gift at fathersuplift.org/services-programs/learn-at-fathersuplift/
Alumni Spotlights are curated by Fathers’ UpLift’s USTR Fellowship team to celebrate graduates who embody our mission: uplifting fathers, families, and entire communities through culturally responsive mental-health care.
