Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC)

Program Contact: Dr. J.C. Ausmas

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Program is a 60 credit hour Master of Arts degree program for students seeking licensure as professional mental health counselors. Graduates find employment in community-based mental health and substance abuse/addiction centers, hospitals, treatment centers, tele-mental health settings, and private practice. The program emphasizes skill development, ethical intervention, cultural humility, and practical experience to equip future mental health professionals. This program’s coursework also aligns with specializations in Professional School Counseling and Clinical Addiction Counseling, sharing the same core courses. Courses are delivered online.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice: Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of counselors' diverse roles, specialties, licensing, credentialing professional ethics, legal standards, and ethical decision-making processes in counseling practice.
2. Social and Cultural Diversity: Students will recognize and appreciate the impact of cultural, social, and individual diversity on mental health, student academic success, and counseling processes.
3. Human Growth and Development: Learners will comprehend the psychological, emotional, and cognitive development across the lifespan, including factors influencing mental health and counseling processes.
4. Career Development: Graduates will be equipped to assist clients and students in career exploration, vocational decision-making, and job placement.
5. Counseling and Helping Relationships: Students will understand counseling theory and develop effective counseling techniques, including active listening, empathy, and rapport-building, to establish therapeutic relationships.
6. Group Counseling and Group Work: Learners will understand group dynamics, facilitation techniques, and group counseling theories for effective group interventions.
7. Assessment and Testing: Graduates will be skilled in selecting, administering, and interpreting psychological assessments to inform treatment planning and counseling.
8. Research and Program Evaluation: Students will understand the role of research in the counseling field, become good consumers of counseling research, and apply research methods to evaluate counseling programs, interventions, and outcomes.
9. Advocacy and Leadership: Learners will advocate for mental health policies and assume leadership roles in promoting mental well-being for their clients and their community.
10. Clinical Diagnostic Skills: Graduates will demonstrate competence in assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and intervention strategies for mental health and addiction issues.