No. We award scholarships without regard to income, sex, gender, employment status, disability status, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, or any other individual differences.

Any current Montana resident can receive a scholarship as long as they meet the conditions listed under “Who can apply” on this page. You can also review our policies here.

Scholarships pay your provider up to $150/session for the number of counseling sessions you're awarded.

This means if your provider charges $150/session, your counseling will be fully covered.

Likewise, if your provider charges less than $150, we’ll pay the exact amount billed, and your counseling will be fully covered. The unused portion of funds will then be returned to our general scholarship fund.

If any session is billed for more than $150, you’ll be responsible for paying your provider the remaining balance after our scholarship payment is applied. (Example: Your provider charges $200 for a single session. We’d pay $150, and you’d owe $50.)

You can apply for anywhere between 1 and 12 sessions, based on your current needs and availability. If awarded a scholarship, you’ll receive the number of sessions you indicated in your application!

Scholarship funding is released to your mental health care provider as they send us invoices. We don’t offer direct payments or reimbursements to scholarship recipients.

Yes, as long as they’re licensed by the state of Montana. This includes pre-licensure candidates who are in post-grad pre-licensure training, employed or contracted by an agency or group practice, and supervised by a Montana-licensed therapist who carries malpractice insurance.

Providers must also agree to provide us with their W9, send us your invoices, and receive our check payments. (For this reason, we’re unable to pay for services through online membership platforms like Betterhelp.)

While we’ll reach out to your provider to explain the details once you provide us with their information, you’ll also want to confirm their agreement with our scholarship program policies before starting sessions!

Yes, if you have insurance, you're encouraged to use it toward your sessions! Scholarship funds can be used toward your copay or to otherwise reduce the potential out-of-pocket cost of services.

After starting therapy, some scholarship recipients discover that their insurance fully covers their sessions and that they have no deductible or copay. If this happens, we’d simply return the scholarship to the pool so those funds can be used by someone else who needs assistance.

Scholarships may be used for many forms of traditional mental health care provided by a Montana-licensed therapist/counselor, and services may be provided in person or via telehealth. However, regardless of a provider’s licensure status or definition of their services, scholarships cannot be used for:

• Life coaching

• Psychiatry

• Medical evaluations

• Any treatments involving the administration of any substance in any manner, including ketamine-assisted therapy

Yes, scholarships expire six (6) months from the date we first notify you via email about your award. You’ll be responsible for tracking the sessions you use under the scholarship and working with your provider to ensure all sessions are scheduled and completed before the scholarship expires.

Absolutely. All personal information you share with us in your application is kept confidential and will not be shared beyond the Suffer Out Loud team. By accepting a scholarship, you’re granting permission for our team to communicate with your provider to discuss necessary billing details only.

No. Unless you’re a parent/guardian applying on behalf of your child, all of the information in the application must be provided by and belong to the intended scholarship recipient. Additionally, scholarships cannot be transferred.

You’re more than welcome to help someone fill out an application if they need assistance!

No. Scholarships cannot be used to cover any outstanding balances accrued with a licensed mental health care provider prior to receiving the award. Only sessions held after the scholarship is awarded and while it remains active are eligible for payment.