Mental Health Worker (Certificate)
Program Advisor: Kari Dupuis, PhD, LICSW
413-236-4506 • kdupuis@berkshirecc.edu
Mental illness is a major public health problem, and has far reaching negative consequences on communities across the United States. The Mental Health Worker (MHW) certificate offers classroom and field practicum experience for entry-level work in the behavioral health field. Students will gain valuable knowledge of mental health that include: Causes of mental illness; assessment, diagnosis, treatment techniques; wellness strategies for human service workers in order to prevent burnout; and community resources for individuals and family members. Students will also learn about dually diagnosed (mental health and substance use) clients. Legal and ethical issues, as well as cultural competency will be emphasized throughout the MHW certificate. The courses use a variety of interactive learning strategies such as: active classroom exercises emphasizing helping skills and personal reflection; guest speakers with expertise in mental health; media; classroom discussion; experiential group work; and counseling role plays.
Students will complete a 90-hour field work practicum which emphasizes the student's ability to demonstrate the skills and ethical standards of an entry-level mental health worker. Students will complete their field work practicum at an agency designated as a mental health approved site such as: Brien Center; Service Net; Bridging the Gap; Tapestry Health; Louison House Shelter; Berkshire County ARC; Keenan House; Clinical Stabilization Services and McGee programs at Berkshire Medical Center; Construct; Internships with local School Adjustment and Guidance Counselors; Christian Center; Pittsfield Promise at the United Way; Pediatric Development Center; United Cerebral Palsy; Elizabeth Freeman Center; Spectrum; and Berkshire Children and Families. Students will assist with entry-level agency operations, assessment, intervention, case planning and documentation at their field practicum site.
A strong feature of the MHW certificate is that it offers stackable credits that will allow students to continue on to an Associate Degree in Social Work with a focus on mental health. For example, the following courses will be directly applied to the AS degree: English 101; Introduction to Psychology; Human Service Methods; Interviewing and Counseling; Group Work; Field Seminar I; and Field Practicum I. Additionally, the proposed Introduction to Mental Health Work course can be added to the AS degree's Special Electives.
The development of the MHW certificate was enriched from a variety of conversations and feedback with key stakeholders in our community including: the Human Services Advisory Board; Director of CSS and McGee; the Brien Center; local National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI} organization; Department of Mental Health; Tapestry Health; Spectrum; Construct; Elizabeth Freeman Center; local School Adjustment Counselors; and local mental health clinicians in private practice.
Expected Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of current research, trends and success rates in mental health treatment by successful completion of weekly quizzes and tests.
- Show enhanced understanding of individual, group and family mental health treatment options by completion of classroom small group activities and written assignments.
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills, and computer research proficiency through participation in weekly class activities and computer research presentation at the BCC library.
- Understand and apply the stages of the entry-level mental health interview and counseling process as shown by successful completion of weekly class role plays and written assignments.
- Learn and demonstrate basic mental health individual and group counseling skills through successful completion of weekly class role plays, self-reflection classroom exercises and field practicum experience.
- Show enhanced understanding of effective counseling techniques for problematic mental health interviews (mandated clients, anger, resistance, addiction use, and risk assessment) by successful completion of weekly class activities, quizzes and tests.
- Demonstrate the importance of client confidentiality and record keeping through participation in the Field Practicum.
- Develop an appreciation of how a client's age, race/ethnicity, class, physical and mental status and/or gender can potentially influence the mental health counseling process shown by successful completion of written assignments, classroom activities and field practicum experience.
- Demonstrate understanding of legal and ethical issues in the mental health counseling profession, and follow the ethical standards for human services professionals as recommended by the National Organization of Human Services.
Graduation Requirements
Program Courses
Suggested Pathway to Graduation
First Semester
| ENG-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| PSY-107 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| HSV-115 | Introduction to Mental Health Worker | 3 |
| HSV-111 | Human Service Methods | 3 |
| HSV-280 | Group & Professional Development | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Second Semester