Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Program Type: Yearlong, nonresidential fellowships for journalists

Geographic Scope: United States (U.S. citizens and residents only)

Focus Areas:

• Mental health reporting and journalism
• Substance use issues
• Behavioral health coverage
• Reducing stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses

Eligibility:

• Active professional journalists
• U.S. citizens or residents
• Minimum of three years of media experience
• Working in all media forms (television, radio, print, online, multimedia, etc.)
• Not required to leave current employment
• Preference given to journalists currently employed with media outlets that support publishing/broadcasting fellowship projects

Award Details:

• Stipend: $10,000 per fellow
• Training: Intensive training on behavioral health reporting
• Networking: Opportunities with advisors and other fellows
• Travel: Expense-paid trips to The Carter Center in Atlanta for in-person training and networking (typically September and fall of following year)
• Cohort Size: Approximately 8 fellows per year

Selection Criteria:

• Committee includes current and former journalists, mental health experts, and Fellowship Advisory Board members
• Emphasis on diversity across ethnicity, geography, media platforms, and communities served by fellowship projects

Program History & Impact:

• Over 250+ fellows awarded over past two decades
• Fellowship projects have been nominated for Pulitzer Prize
• Projects have earned: Emmy Awards, Peabody Award, Edward R. Murrow Award, awards from Association of Health Care Journalists, Public Radio News Directors Inc., American Psychiatric Association, Mental Health America, National Alliance for Mental Illness
• Notable impacts: investigation led to state Supreme Court ruling on psychiatric boarding in hospitals; inspired major city policymakers to allocate millions to address homelessness; exposed mental health challenges faced by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans

Timeline:

• Applications open in early February
• Deadline: typically second Wednesday in April (11:59 p.m. ET)
• Fellows announced in July
• Fellowship year begins in September

Contact Information:

• Email: carterfellows@cartercenter.org
• Contact: Rennie Sloan, rennie.sloan@cartercenter.org
• Phone: +1-404-420-5129
• Address: The Carter Center Mental Health Program, 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30307

Resources Provided:

• Journalism Resource Guide on Behavioral Health (PDF)
• Training materials and mentorship
• Access to mental health experts and advisors
• Networking with peers across media platforms

Part of: Carter Center's Mental Health Program, which works globally to improve access to mental health care and reduce stigma

Application Process

How to Apply:

1. Visit the online application portal at cartercenter.org/mhjfellows or https://mhjapply.cartercenter.org
2. Complete all application materials online
3. Submit by deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on the specified date (typically second Wednesday in April)

Required Application Materials:

1. Resume
   • Current job status
   • List of representative publications
   • Membership in professional organizations
   • Major journalism prizes and/or awards with years awarded
2. Objectives for Fellowship and Project Description
   • Informal essay format
   • Not to exceed 1,000 words
   • Describe professional reasons for applying
   • Explain how fellowship would benefit applicant's body of work
   • Outline proposed mental health/substance use reporting project
   • Project should be tailored to applicant's experience and interests and relevant to U.S. mental health and substance use landscape
3. Samples of Professional Work
   • Submit up to three examples of applicant's work
   • At least one sample should be in the media form proposed for fellowship project
   • Can include books, documentaries, articles, broadcast segments, multimedia pieces, etc.
4. Two Letters of Recommendation
   • From people familiar with applicant's work
   • Should comment on applicant's abilities and potential as a journalist
   • Recommenders submit online (typically by late April, ~2 weeks after application deadline)
5. Letter of Support
   • If applicant has full-time employer: letter from publisher, editor, producer, manager, or director
   • If self-employed: letter from individual familiar with applicant's work
   • Preference given to letters from editors/publishers indicating clear interest and strong likelihood to publish or broadcast the fellowship project
   • Submitted online by recommender (typically ~2 weeks after application deadline)

Submission Details:

• All application materials except recommendation and support letters must be submitted online by deadline
• Recommendation and support letters are submitted online by recommenders after applicant completes application
• Application is available online at cartercenter.org/mhjfellows

Selection Timeline:

• Applications reviewed by committee of journalists, mental health experts, and Fellowship Advisory Board
• Selection emphasizes diversity across ethnicity, geography, media platforms, and communities
• Fellows announced approximately 3 months after deadline (typically mid-July)

Important Notes:

• Projects do not need to be completed during employment absence; fellows can work on projects while employed
• No specific narrative questions provided; fellowships are self-directed with topic of applicant's choice within mental health/behavioral health scope
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) available on website

For Questions:

• Email: carterfellows@cartercenter.org
• Phone: +1-404-420-5129