Mental Health Certificate (MHC)
2018-2019
Type: Career, Certificate (C1)
Open Admissions
Division: Health And Human Services
To provide formalized education for both entry level workers and current workers who do not have college education. This certificate will qualify students to work in the field of Mental Health as Direct Support Professionals, Outreach Counselors or Educational Specialists. It will also qualify students to work as Relief staff on weekends or as Part Time Staff in various Human Service Programs. The one-year Certificate program leads directly into the two-year Human Services Practitioner Associate Degree program.
Students interested in participating in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly, or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship, or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider, may be required to undergo criminal background checks, including a national as well as local check (i.e. Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Record Information (SORI)). Depending on the contents of these criminal background check(s), a student's participation in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider may not be allowed, and therefore may impact a student's ability to complete program requirements. Furthermore, please note that eligibility to participate in the program and/or clinical affiliation, internship or field placement as a result of screening requirements, such as criminal background checks, is not a guarantee of eligibility to sit for professional credentialing examination(s) or employment upon graduation.
First Year
Fall
| CMP101 | Composition 1 | 3 |
| HUS101 | The Human Services Worker | 3 |
| IDS205 | Community Problems and Social Issues | 3 |
| MEH105 | Introduction to Mental Health Work | 3 |
| PSY102 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring
| HUS102 | Helping Skills in Human Services | 3 |
| HUS130 | Life Changes and Crisis: Adaptation and Intervention | 3 |
| HUS137 | Field Placement & Seminar 1 for Human Services Practitioner | 3 |
OPN-ELECTIVE
| Open Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Program Note
Communication and Mathematics proficiency required to graduate.
See guided pathway sheets for advising information specific to your area of focus.
Total Credit Hours: 27
Program Student Learner Outcomes
- Identify mental health risk factors associated with crisis prevention and intervention.
- Demonstrate an understanding of cultural competence; provide ethical and culturally sensitive care.
- Demonstrate development of entry level mental health worker interpersonal skills.
- Identify, evaluate and utilize effective verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills.
- Understand and apply effective, evidence-based counseling and theoretical approaches with individuals, families and groups.
- Develop critical thinking skills to address issues in the mental health field.
- Properly use basic mental health terms, concepts and data.
- Utilize a strength based, resilience and humanistic perspective.
- Engage in ongoing self-assessment and self care to maintain attentiveness to professional competence.
Occupational Skills required
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Intercultural competency
- Actively seeking to help people
- Social perceptiveness
- Oral communication
- Documentation
- Ethical decision making
- Complex problem solving
- Judgement and decision making
Experiential Learning Required in Program
- HUS 137 Field Placement & Seminar 1 for Human Services Practitioner
Experiential Learning Optional in Program
- HUS 130 Life Changes and Crisis: Adaptation and Intervention
Most Common Linked Occupation Title – All Education Levels
- Counselor and Case Manager
Most Common Linked Occupation Title – Associate’s or Less
- Community Health Worker and Social and Human Services Assistant
Average Annual Growth (10-Year Projection)
- US - 0.50% - 1.8%
- Boston MSA – 1.00% - 2.1%
- Essex County – -0.50% - $2.1%
- Boston MSA Average Entry-Level Wages (2016) – $24,600 - $28,200
- Boston MSA Median Wages (2016) – $32,200 - $37,700