Assessment Goals

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program has the following objectives:

To help suitable and committed individuals develop:

  1. An understanding of human nature based on a Christian philosophical perspective, thus reflecting a holistic, developmental, relational and valuing perspective on the person, as well as a respect for self-determination and human limitation.
  2. Professional identity as a clinical mental health counselor, including a comprehension of counselor roles in mental health, professional ethics and legal issues, self-care, models of treatment and supervision, and relationship to the profession, as well as understanding the impact of crisis, trauma, and substance abuse on mental health.
  3. Understanding of and ability to apply: educational, advocacy, consultative, preventive and interventive strategies to fostering mental health and wellness at individual, family and larger- system levels as appropriate.
  4. Integration of diversity awareness into response to client needs at individual, family and larger-system levels.
  5. Understanding of and ability to apply appropriate, culturally–informed individual and systemic assessment strategies to all relevant dimensions of the initial evaluation process, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and re-evaluation, including risk assessment and assessment for co-occurring disorders.
  6. Understanding of and ability to apply relevant research findings and strategies to program- evaluation as well as selection, evaluation and enhancement of treatment strategies.
  7. Understanding of and ability to apply current diagnostic principles, informed by comprehension of the impact of multicultural variables, co-occurring disorders, and crisis/trauma on the diagnostic process.

    And to offer:

  8. A program of studies that covers the common core curriculum outlined by CACREP and that prepares students for licensure in Ohio and most states.
  9. A concentration in Christian counseling for students desiring to learn more about applying professional skills in a Christian counseling setting.