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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – The County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness is announcing the opening of the application period for its annual John Kovacs Scholarship award, designed for persons who identify as having mental health and/or substance use experience, also known as “peers.” This scholarship program was made available through a generous donation from the John Kovacs Revocable Trust which was gifted to Behavioral Wellness. To honor the memory of John Kovacs, the Department established a Memorial Scholarship that awards up to two $2,500 scholarships annually.
Applications are due by September 29th. The scoring of applications will occur in October with the announcement of 2024 John Kovacs scholarship recipients occurring at the annual Peer celebration occurring in the end of November or beginning of December. For Peers interested in applying, the application can be found online and completed here.
Recipients are selected through a committee process as people who embody tenacity, resiliency and overcoming of barriers. Applicants must self-identify in having lived experience in the process of recovery from mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of these services or as the parent or family member of the consumer. In addition, applicants must show a demonstrated need and explain how these funds will help bridge an important gap, address an unmet need, or make a significant difference in helping to achieve a life changing goal.
“The generous gift of this funding was a huge surprise; and we are proud to use these funds to further support remarkable journeys of recovery each year,” said Toni Navarro, Director for Behavioral Wellness.
To learn more about County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness, please visit https://www.countyofsb.org/274/Behavioral-Wellness. For assistance accessing Behavioral Wellness services, call the 24/7 toll free Crisis Response and Services Access Line at (888) 868-1649.