Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Program Overview

In accordance with the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) definition of professional counseling, clinical mental health counseling “involves a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals” (ACA, 2017). Our counselors are specifically trained to work in behavioral healthcare, defined as “the promotion of emotional health; the prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders; and treatments and services for mental and/or substance use disorders” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMSHA, 2015]. According to SAMSHA (2015), mental illnesses and substance use disorders are common, frequently recurrent, and often serious. A strong, well-trained and well-distributed behavioral health workforce is necessary to help the United States act on the vision embodied in SAMHSA’s guiding tenets: Behavioral health is essential to overall wellbeing; prevention works; treatment is effective; and people recover from mental and substance use disorders.

Our program curricula is squarely aligned with a biopsychosocial model of health and behavioral health. Students gain competencies in conceptualizing clients and communities through contemporary models of health and disability including the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, the Mental Health Recovery Model, Community Mental Health, Vocational and Psychiatric Rehabilitation, and Population Health. Students also gain competencies in diathesis-stress, minority stress, disability justice, vocational and psychiatric vocational rehabilitation, stress-coping, and social support models. Competencies in providing environmental interventions that focus specifically on increasing community participation (e.g., work, school, social life) and reducing environmental barriers are gained. Biopsychosocial diagnostic and classification systems are taught in concert with prevention, health promotion and wellness – all through the lens of each individual, family, and community’s intersecting cultural values and beliefs. The role of society and context are considered as important (if not more important) as individual functioning; thus, students are expected to address power, stigma, ableism, ageism, racism and other forms of societal oppression on an individual and professional level. Clinical mental health counselors’ roles and functions extend beyond talk-therapy to include advocating for access, resources, employment, housing, health and healthcare equity, legal services, and inter-professional treatment response.

Our program is uniquely designed to prepare students to join the behavioral health workforce. Our students receive the counseling, case management, and advocacy competencies necessary to work with the most at-risk, vulnerable communities including (but not limited to) those from historically marginalized communities, those with disabling and/or co-occurring health and behavioral health conditions, those with trauma histories, homelessness, unemployment, substance use, and other chronic stress-related histories, including those facing daily social injustices, discrimination and microaggressions. Our counselors are also well qualified to work in vocational and psychiatric vocational rehabilitation settings and have competencies in employer engagement, labor market analysis, and workplace and educational accommodations. Our counselors are held to a high professional readiness standard and we expect ongoing self-appraising and self-correction. Below is a list of important competencies and practices covered in our program:

• Health and Behavioral Health Assessment, Diagnosis and Intervention
• Biopsychosocial Models of Health and Social Determinants of Health
• Contemporary Counseling Theories, Models and Interventions
• Social Justice Orientation & Advocacy
• Mental Health Recovery Orientation
• Community Mental Health
• Disability, Disability Competency, Disability Justice
• Vocational Rehabilitation & Psychiatric Vocational Rehabilitation
• Case Management and Systems of Care
• Prevention, Education, Health Promotion & Wellness
• Transition-age Youth, Adult and Older Adult Care
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Sexuality, Sexual Health, LGBTQ+ & Intersectionality
• Housing First & Harm Reduction Approaches
• Evidence-Based Interventions & Practices

Licensed Professional Clinical Counseling (LPCC)

Students enrolled in the CMHC program as a specialization or emphasis are in a fully aligned Licensed Professional Clinical Counseling (LPCC) program that specifically positions them to obtain their LPCC. Our curriculum is aligned with the Board of Behavioral Health (BBS) requirements for the LPCC. According to the BBS, “Professional clinical counseling means the application of counseling interventions and psychotherapeutic techniques to identify and remediate cognitive, mental, and emotional issues, including personal growth, adjustment to disability, crisis intervention, and psychosocial and environmental problems, and the use, application, and integration of the coursework and training required by Sections 4999.33. “Professional clinical counseling also includes conducting assessments for the purpose of establishing counseling goals and objectives to empower individuals to deal adequately with life situations, reduce stress, experience growth, change behavior, and make well-informed, rational decisions” (BBS, Business & Professional Code, 2017).

Important LPCC Links

California Association for the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (CALPCC)  

https://calpcc.org/

Board of Behavioral Health (BBS) Licensed Professional Clinical Counseling (LPCC) Requirements

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/lpcc_program/lpcc_is_traditional_path.shtml

LPCC 13 Core Content Areas

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/lpcc_program/lpcc_13_core_content_areas.shtml

Frequently Asked LPCC Questions

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/pcci_faq.pdf

LPCC Options for Post Graduate Supervision Hours

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/lmft_lpcc_newoptions-supvsd_exp_…

LPCC Information for working with Families & Couples

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/forms/lpc/lpc_scope_practice.pdf

Statutes and Regulation for LPCC and MFT Practice (Click on Page 142)

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/lawsregs.pdf

Career Outlook

The behavioral health workforce is one of the fastest growing workforces in the country. Employment projections for 2020 based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast a rise in employment for mental health counselors with a 36.3% increase from 2010 to 2020—greater than the 11% projected average for all occupations. This is based on an expected increase in insurance coverage for mental health and substance use services brought about by passage of health reform and parity legislation and the rising rate of military veterans seeking behavioral health services. There is a reported estimated shortage of 27,000 mental health counselors.  In California, a 2008 report found that the vacancy rate for mental health providers was 20-25%; these numbers are higher in rural areas. An influx of new students in the mental health professions will be needed in order to serve a growing number of Californians. In addition, a more diverse mental health workforce is desired in order to better reflect the increasing diversity in California’s population.

Mental Health Counselor Supply & Demand Websites

Department of HHS Supply and Demand for Behavioral Healthcare Practitioners

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/health-workforce-analysis/…

The State of the Behavioral Health Workforce

http://www.aha.org/content/16/stateofbehavior.pdf

SAMHSA Workforce Statistics

https://www.samhsa.gov/workforce

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Settings

County Behavioral Health Agencies

Community Based Organizations and Clinics

Substance Abuse Programs and Residential Facilities

Integrated health and behavioral health organizations

State and Federal Human Service Agencies

Hospital affiliated Programs

Private Practice

Veteran’s Administration

Population Specific Programs

Criminal Justice and correctional Facilities

Educational Settings

Professional and Related Organizations and Agencies

American Counseling Association

https://www.counseling.org/

American Mental Health Counseling Association

http://www.amhca.org/home

California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counseling

https://calpcc.org/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

https://www.samhsa.gov/

Integrated Behavioral Healthcare

https://integrationacademy.ahrq.gov/resources/ibhc-measures-atlas/what-…

San Francisco Mental Health Association (SFMHA)

http://mentalhealthsf.org/

American Psychological Association 

http://www.apa.org/