The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship

As a criminal defense lawyer, Dayne Phillips genuinely cares about the well-being of others and his community. The mental health crisis in the United States has been referred to as “the elephant in the room” because of its significant impact on society and the reluctance of our lawmakers to adequately address these serious issues.  

If this prevalent issue has not affected you personally, chances are that you know someone who has been affected by the mental health system. To further the conversation on mental health reform, Dayne Phillips is proud to introduce The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship to raise awareness on this topic and give students an opportunity to voice their opinions on the mental health system and treatment in the United States. 

In a 750 words essay, please discuss whether you believe that the mental health system in our country can do more to serve the needs of individuals with mental health disorders.  Specifically, please explain your opinion and provide reasons in support of your stance.  If you believe reform is necessary, outline the steps that should be taken to improve the current system. This scholarship will award one student with one thousand dollars ($1,000) to be used in the pursuit of their educational goals. 

Scholarship Eligibility

This scholarship is available for students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or law school program within the United States. High school seniors who are graduating and will be enrolled in college before the scholarship deadline are also eligible to submit an essay.  Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher for consideration. 

Application

Applications for The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship must include the following:

The candidate must fill out the form below with all necessary information

• • A current resume
  • An academic transcript (grade sheet)
  • A 750 word essay explaining your opinion on the mental health debate in the U.S. and whether you believe the mental health system is in need of reform. If so, include the steps you believe are necessary to accomplish this reform.

The recipient of The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship will be chosen during the month following the scholarship deadline. Please send any scholarship questions to scholarship@sccriminallaws.com with the subject line “The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship ”

Deadline

To apply for The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship, the form above must be completed by the February 28, 2025 deadline. 

Check out our past winners of The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship