Graduate Certificate in Integrated Behavioral Health with Rural Youth
For more information, contact:
Dr. Laura Craven
Cravenl23@ecu.edu
(252) 328-2315
Are you interested in enhancing your clinical skills in working with children and families and developing a professional specialization in integrated behavioral health?
Do you want to know more about working in interdisciplinary settings as a mental health professional?
Would you like specialized knowledge about rural mental health and learn from a variety of faculty from many different disciplines?
If so, a graduate certificate in integrated behavioral health with rural youth may be the perfect choice for you. Through its programs in counselor education, school psychology, social work, and marriage and family therapy, East Carolina University® now offers this interdisciplinary graduate certificate.
Addressing needs in rural communities
This certificate will equip graduates for work in integrated health settings to address the mental health needs of children and youth in rural communities. The certificate is appropriate for professionals who hold graduate degrees in counseling, social work, school psychology, marriage and family therapy, or other behavioral health disciplines and for current graduate students enrolled in these programs.
Rural communities evidence high need and specific constraints relative to their rural context, and the needs of children and youth in these communities require strong collaborative work by professionals. This certificate is intended to increase awareness about rural context and community-specific needs and to help professionals become more competent in coordinating behavioral health and primary-care services.
Curriculum
For this certificate, students complete 12 semester hours of required courses and an integrated behavioral health with rural youth capstone experience. The capstone experience includes a two-day workshop that emphasizes the essential practical skills needed for professionals to integrate into health settings in rural communities. The capstone also includes a written synthesis of the academic and practical experiences encountered throughout the certificate program.
- COAD 6420: Integrated Behavioral Health in Rural Contexts (3 semester hours). Taught by ECU’s counselor education program.
- PSYC 6467: Psychotherapeutic Interventions for Children and Families (3 semester hours). Taught by ECU’s school psychology program. OR COAD 6370: Counseling Children and Adolescents (3 semester hours)
- SOCW 6112: Trauma-Informed Practice with a Clinical Community Relational Perspective (3 semester hours). Taught by ECU’s social work program.
- HDFS integrated rural youth two-day clinical capstone workshop
- Course within your specialty area (3 semester hours):
- COAD 6415: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- PSYC 6452: Child & Adolescent Psychopathology
- SOCW 6701: Biopsychosocial Assessment
- HDFS 6425: Assessment and Treatment Planning in Family Therapy
Frequently asked questions
Below are some frequently asked questions, and more questions can be answered by inquiring ECU’s integrated behavioral health faculty.
What is the current job outlook for mental health professionals in rural communities?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of mental health professionals is likely to grow 19% from 2014 to 2024. In North Carolina alone, 60% of counties with rural status are classified as Health Professional Shortage Areas for mental health, leaving children and families with limited sources of support. The recognition of the importance of mental health and wellness and the expansion of mental health services coverage by insurance policies are influential on this projected growth.
Can I be enrolled in this certificate without having a graduate degree or being in the process of obtaining a graduate degree?
Students must already have or be currently enrolled in a graduate degree in counselor education, school psychology, social work, or marriage and family therapy to obtain this certificate.
Note: If you are enrolled in a qualifying graduate program and this certificate program, you cannot complete the capstone workshop if you withdraw from the qualifying graduate program.
When are classes held?
The certificate offers some hybrid and face-to-face classes for students who wish to take classes in person, but it can be completed completely online for distance education students.
How do I apply?
Applicants should apply through the ECU Graduate School online application. Faculty review applications and contact interested individuals. Visit ww.ecu.edu/gradschool for more information.
How long does it typically take for students to complete the certificate?
Most students complete the program in one full year, including two summer sessions.