Overview

Dr. Rachel Jordan, Program Director

Mission

Building on the mission of St. John Fisher College, the Mental Health Counseling program’s mission is to deliver personalized instruction to a diverse student body regarding essential counseling knowledge and skills, as well as to facilitate the development and enhancement of personal qualities and characteristics necessary to become an outstanding professional mental health counselor.

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program at St. John Fisher College educates students to provide therapeutic mental health interventions in the community. This program prepares students for work in community agencies, clinics, hospitals, managed behavioral healthcare organizations, outpatient mental health programs, residential treatment and rehabilitation settings, employee assistance programs, substance abuse treatment programs, colleges, and private practice. The Mental Health Counseling program is designed to emphasize the strengths of individuals and families in order to facilitate recovery and resilience when faced with emotional, mental, or physical challenges. Students will develop a strong understanding of the psychological foundations of mental health and the related developmental issues. Diagnostic assessment, including both its strengths and limitations, is an emphasized component of the program.

In accordance with standards recommended by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) and New York State requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor, the program focuses upon counseling areas such as professional identity, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, helping relationships, career development, group work, assessment, research, program evaluation, and evidence-based intervention skills used in mental health counseling. This Master’s of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling provides students the opportunity to learn this knowledge base through a variety of teaching methodologies, including class discussions, role playing, small-group work, case-study analysis, community integration activities, and classroom simulations. Students also have the opportunity to apply this knowledge in supervised clinical settings.

Admission Requirements

Applicants who present satisfactory evidence of their ability to perform at the graduate level will be admitted to the Master’s program in Mental Health Counseling at St. John Fisher College on a space-available basis.

The Admissions Committee and the Program Director will evaluate the qualifications of the applicants.

In addition to the materials and credentials outlined in the general admission requirements, the following are also required:

• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00.*
• Life experience relevant to the work of a mental health counselor (such as personal experience and paid or volunteer work experience).
• References from individuals acquainted with the applicant’s abilities.
• A satisfactory interview with the Admissions Committee of the Mental Health Counseling program.

*Applicants whose GPA is less than 3.00 must take the GRE and provide evidence of ability and motivation to successfully complete graduate-level studies in Mental Health Counseling. Applicants in this category may be admitted on Conditional Matriculated Status.

Interviews are a required part of the admissions process. Applicants who are selected for an interview will be contacted by the Admissions Committee and invited to come to campus. The main goal of the interview process is to determine the suitability of the candidate for the field of mental health counseling and for the specific program at St. John Fisher College.

For more information regarding application and admission to the Mental Health Counseling program, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (585) 385-8161 or by e-mail at grad@sjfc.edu.

For specific questions regarding the Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, please contact Dr. Rachel Jordan at rjordan@sjfc.edu or (585) 899-3858.

About the Program

Program Structure

Students may take courses on a full-time or part-time basis (see recommended sequence of courses). Students are required to complete 60 credit hours: 39 credits of coursework and 21 credits of fieldwork. The 60-credit program includes a supervised practicum experience with a minimum of 100 clock hours (3 credits) and a supervised internship with a minimum of 900 clock hours (18 credits). This application of counseling skills in community sites will allow students the opportunity to grow into effective mental health counselors while being supervised by experienced mental health practitioners.

As most placement sites provide services to clients during regular weekday business hours, it is important for students to plan ahead for the time commitment that is required to complete the practicum and internship. It is generally not possible to complete these critical program components in the evening or on weekends. The typical internship requires 20 hours per week at the agency site. Each field experience entails working in approved clinical sites under the direction of qualified site supervisors and faculty instructors. Readiness for placement in a clinical setting is based on a student’s satisfactory completion of prerequisite academic courses (minimum GPA of 3.00) and the determination by faculty that the student demonstrates personal qualities that are widely accepted in the counseling profession as the foundation of effective counseling. These qualities include, but are not limited to, flexibility, respectfulness, receptivity to feedback, capacity to listen, appropriate self-disclosure, organization, reliability, commitment to excellence and wellness, and professional integrity. They are measurable and observable in the attitudes and behaviors demonstrated by students in written assignments, classroom discussions, peer group projects, role-plays, and interactions with faculty, staff, and other students.

In the semester prior to anticipated placement in a clinical setting, faculty members familiar with the student will evaluate her or his performance on these qualities. Students who meet the criteria will be recommended for placement. Students who demonstrate evidence of deficiencies will have the opportunity to develop and implement a plan, with the aid and support of faculty, to demonstrate improvement. Students who fail to improve will not be allowed to continue in the program but will be encouraged to consult with their faculty advisor regarding alternative educational, training, or employment activities.

Knowledge and Skills

The content areas of knowledge and skill are based on CACREP standards and New York State requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor. We also value, and demonstrate through our pedagogy, these knowledge and skill areas:

• Self-knowledge.
• Clarity of written and oral communication.
• A balance of theory and practice.
• The demonstrated ability to apply knowledge to practice.
• Both the knowledge and use of empirically supported treatment modalities.

Personal Qualities and Characteristics

The Mental Health Counseling program further seeks to facilitate the development and enhancement of personal qualities and characteristics in students which create a foundation for the successful practice of counseling:

• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Respectfulness of others including diverse populations.
• Receptivity to feedback.
• Capacity to listen and attend.
• Appropriate self-disclosure.
• Clarity of communication.
• Capacity for organization.
• Reliability and follow-through.
• Genuineness.
• Empathy, warmth, and caring.
• Confidence balanced with humility.
• Commitment to excellence.
• Professional integrity.
• Ability to balance multiple life expectations and commitment to wellness.
• Sense of humor.

There are numerous specialty areas in the profession of mental health counseling. At the present time, the Mental Health Counseling program at St. John Fisher College has developed a focus on the treatment of adults and children in a variety of community and behavioral health settings. Other elective areas are under consideration.

Professional Standards

This graduate program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) and adheres to the professional standards and ethical guidelines of the American Counseling Association, the American Mental Health Counseling Association, and the National Board for Certified Counselors. The program is also registered with the New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education. Rules of the Board of Regents, such as those defining good moral character and unprofessional conduct, are followed. Thus, decisions about admissions and continued enrollment in this program are consistent with CACREP standards, the ethical guidelines of the profession, the laws of New York State, and the policies of St. John Fisher College.

Professional standards, state rules, and ethical guidelines acknowledge counselors’ responsibility to society and are mechanisms for accountability. Personal or professional conduct that is inconsistent with these standards, rules, and ethical guidelines, as well as with those cited in the Student Code of Conduct, may prohibit an applicant from being admitted into the Mental Health Counseling program. Students enrolled in the Mental Health Counseling program are expected to exhibit personal and professional conduct that is consistent with these standards, rules, ethical guidelines, and/or policies of St. John Fisher College both in the college setting and while working in practicum and internship sites. Students found to be in violation of these standards, rules, or guidelines will face appropriate action, which may include dismissal from the program and/or College.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Objectives

Upon graduation, the successful student in the Mental Health Counseling program will be able to:

• Demonstrate professional skills and personal qualities required for working as an effective clinician in a multidisciplinary healthcare setting providing mental health services.
• Demonstrate a variety of differential diagnostic assessment practices consistent with DSM-IV-TR nomenclature.
• Understand client issues from a bio-psycho-social perspective.
• Demonstrate the ability to use a diverse range of research-based intervention strategies, including strength-based approaches.
• Develop appropriate intervention plans based upon knowledge of culturally relevant variables in client care, including ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic levels, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
• Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with ethical guidelines articulated by the American Counseling Association, the American Mental Health Counseling Association, and the National Board for Certified Counselors.
• Articulate the value of counseling from both a personal and professional perspective.

Program Requirements

Curriculum

It is recommended that students have completed undergraduate courses in Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Research Methods, Theories of Personality, Statistics, and Tests and Measurement.

Required Courses

Recommended Progression

Full-time Students, Beginning Fall 2010*

YEAR 1

YEAR 2

*Courses are subject to change.

Part-Time Students, Beginning Fall 2010*

YEAR 1

YEAR 2

YEAR 3

YEAR 4

*Courses are subject to change.