Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Concentration in Community Mental Health
San Francisco, USA
DURATION
2 up to 3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
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STUDY FORMAT
Blended
* 1st Priority deadline: Submit by February 15th at 11:59pm PT for guaranteed review. After this date, some programs may be full and only interview for waitlist spots or not be able to further review applications
Key Summary
Scholarships
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Introduction
The Community Mental Health program at CIIS was designed in collaboration with leading mental health agencies providing services in the public sector to meet several critical need of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Through dynamic a curriculum and engaged faculty the program emphasizes the following areas:
- Therapeutic: A growing number of clients with complex trauma require a deeper understanding of the impact of systemic oppression.
- Cultural: The profession needs more multilingual practitioners from diverse backgrounds who represent the clients they serve.
- Professional: There is a high demand for accessible/affordable therapy and currently not enough practitioners to provide it.
The Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Community Mental Health is a Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) approved weekend cohort program. The program is offered in an online hybrid format. Students receive asynchronous online lectures, readings, and engagement on a weekly basis. Each semester, students are required to attend five in-person, full-weekend immersions with their cohort, allowing for deep and enriching relationships to form between students and with faculty.
Admissions
Curriculum
Throughout the first year, students develop a theoretical foundation and engage in clinical coursework. In the second year, students enter a clinical practicum while continuing to take required courses. The program concludes with an integrative project in the final semester.
An essential part of the Community Mental Health program is on-site clinical training and supervision at a variety of placement sites. Completion of the practicum requirement includes attendance in weekly classes plus 16-20 hours per week of documented training at an approved site. A minimum of 225 BBS-qualifying hours must be completed during practicum training to qualify for graduation. If you are pursuing your LPCC licensure, you must complete a minimum of 280 qualifying BBS hours during practicum training to qualify for graduation.
Each student plays a key role in identifying sites for field work and clinical practicum. The Community Mental Health program and the MCP Field Placement Office are eager to help with placements.
Personal Therapy Requirement
Students are required to complete 50 hours of personal psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional.
License Ready
The Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a Concentration in Community Mental Health meets the educational requirements for MFT licensure in the state of California, and LPCC in the state of California with additional optional units. After graduation, students must complete a required number of supervised client contact hours and pass the MFT licensing examination before becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist. This process takes, on average, 3 to 5 years.