The Mental Health Care Associate curriculum is designed to prepare entry-level mental health care/human service practitioners to provide high quality care and services in a variety of settings. This curriculum will also provide students with the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to advance in their profession. Students will participate in both classroom and field experiences that are intended to provide a generalist-model foundation in helping people. This program of study also has the flexibility to allow students to tailor their educational experience with the client population of their choice.
Typically, Mental Health Care Associate degree graduates find employment opportunities in a variety of human service settings.
Services oftentimes will include problem-solving skill development, crisis assessment and intervention, interpersonal communication skills development, medication monitoring, assisting with activities of daily living and case-management activities. Graduates are often employed in both public and private settings, such as mental health centers, human service agencies, hospitals and residential treatment centers.
Char Schuler, program director
Mental Health Care Associate program
charlotte.schuler@ndscs.edu
701-671-2364
North Dakota State College of Science
Allied Health Careers
800 Sixth Street North
Wahpeton, ND 58076-0002
Phone: 1-800-342-4325 ext. 3-2981
Fax: 701-671-2570
Email: alliedhealthcareers@ndscs.edu
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SWK 200 | Introduction to Helping Skills | 3 |
| SWK 256 | Development of Social Welfare | 3 |
| MEHC 221 | Fundamentals of Case Management | 3 |
| MEHC 262 | Mental Health Management | 3 |
| *MEHC 265 | Service Learning Practicum | 4 |
| Related/General Education Courses | ||
| BIOL 115 | Human Structure and Function | 3 |
| BIOL 115L | Human Structure and Function Lab | 1 |
| ENGL 110 | College Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II or | |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| History/Humanities elective | 3 | |
| PSYC 103 | Addictions and Alternatives | 2 |
| PSYC 105 | Relationships and Self-Esteem | 2 |
| PSYC 111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 250 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 270 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PHIL 210 | Ethics | 3 |
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 220 | Family | 3 |
| ** MATH 102 | Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| General Education elective | 4 | |
| HPER 210 | First Aid and CPR | 2 |
| CIS 101 | Computer Literacy | 2 |
| Wellness elective (s) | 2 | |
| TOTAL REQUIRED CREDITS | 64 | |
| *20 hour volunteer and written reflection required prior to experience. | ||
| ** Prerequisite may be required as determined by COMPASS testing. | ||
| Suggested sequence of study | ||
| First Semester | Second Semester | |
| SWK 200 | SWK 256 | |
| BIOL 115 | MEHC 221 | |
| BIOL 115L | PSYC 250 | |
| ENGL 110 | PSYC 103 | |
| SOC 110 | ENGL 120 or COMM 110 | |
| PSYC 111 | CIS 101 | |
| Third Semester | Fourth Semester | |
| MEHC 262 | MEHC 265 | |
| PSYC 270 | General Education elective | |
| PHIL 210 | Humanities/History elective | |
| MATH 102 | PSYC 105 | |
| SOC 220 | Wellness elective (s) | |
| HPER 210 | ||
| Students may choose to spread the program of study over five or more semesters. | ||
The applicants must be high school graduates or equivalent. Applicants may be required to complete a basic skills evaluation during the admissions process. Applicants are invited to visit the program.
Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Mental Health Care Associate.
