Graduates with an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling have a plethora of career opportunities ahead of them:

• Counselor positions in various agencies and Human Services (e.g., Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol, Couples, Marriage and Family, Rehabilitation Centers, Services for Senior Citizens, Correctional Facilities, etc.)
• Supervisor
• Executive management and/or director
• Private practitioner
• Adjunct instructor
• Forensic evaluator (e.g., custody, child abuse, etc.)
• Consultant
• Researcher
• Professional development trainer for diverse topics in the helping professions
• College counselor

Practicum and internships are supervised fieldwork opportunities for students to practice and synthesize evidenced-based case conceptualizations, prevention and intervention skills, and personal and professional dispositions that are consistent with ethical, legal, and diversity competent clinical mental health counseling standards of practice and the extant professional counseling literature (CACREP, 2024; Section 4).

During supervised fieldwork experiences, students practice counseling diverse mental health consumers, and learn the myriad of roles and responsibilities of being a clinical mental health counselor and promoting client well-being. In addition, students benefit from various activities including but not limited to: personal and professional networking, potential job opportunities, collaboration and teamwork, professional development, advocacy, critical thinking, and effective written and oral communications.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics indicate that a national demand for Mental Health Counselors is expected to rise 18% from 2022 to 2032, an increase of 71,500 jobs

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (2023) provides two data points for the National Mean Annual Wage for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors: $53,710 and $60,080.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, labor demands for counselor-related occupations in general, and mental health counselors in particular, are predicted to show above-average and “much faster than average” growth over the decade of 2022-2032.

According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Behavioral Health Workforce, December 2023, the United States is experiencing a mental health crisis, due in part, to Mental Health provider shortages, which is referred to as Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.

According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Behavioral Health Workforce, December 2023, “…more than half (169 million) of the U.S. population lives in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (Mental Health HPSA)…”

The Mount Aloysius College Clinical Mental Health Counseling program outcomes reflect essential knowledge and skills that promote counselor competence with diverse individuals in various settings and cultural contexts (CACREP, 2024; 2.B.1.).Upon completion of the Mount’s CMHC program, a graduate will achieve the ten measurable program objectives enumerated and described below, as evidenced by aggregate student outcome data across multiple points in the program curriculum, with aggregate data reported for program assessment and stakeholder input (CACREP, 2024; 2.B.2., CACREP, 2024; 2.B.3.). Details about the benchmarks across multiple points in time are indicated in the CMHC program curriculum map.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING ORIENTATION AND ETHICAL PRACTICE
   • Integrate foundational knowledge, skills, and dispositions of effective clinical mental health counseling, as defined in ethically, legally, and culturally sustaining standards of practice and the extant professional counseling literature (CACREP, 2024; 3.A.)
2. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES AND EXPERIENCES
   • Synthesize reflection, research, and cultural experiences to enhance intentional multicultural and social advocacy awareness and competencies to effectively counsel diverse and/or marginalized individuals (CACREP, 2024; 3.B.)
3. LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT
   • Analyze and examine scholarly concepts and interventions that integrate lifespan development (e.g., neurological, biological, psychological, social, moral, cultural, etc.) and wellness models for individuals and families in diverse systems and contexts (CACREP, 2024; 3.C.)
4. CAREER DEVELOPMENT
   • Evaluate career theories, interventions, and the interdependent factors of career development, mental health, and individuals in marginalized cultural contexts (CACREP, 2024; 3.D.)
5. COUNSELING PRACTICE AND RELATIONSHIPS
   • Practice and integrate evidenced-based case conceptualizations, prevention and intervention skills, and personal and professional dispositions that are consistent with effective clinical mental health counseling, as defined in ethically, legally, and culturally sustaining standards of practice and the extant professional counseling literature (CACREP, 2024; 3.E.)
6. GROUP COUNSELING AND GROUP WORK
   • Explore and experience best practices of group counseling and group work theories and dynamics to promote knowledge, personal and professional growth, as well as ethical, legal, and cultural responsiveness (CACREP, 2024; 3.F.)
7. ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC PROCESSES
   • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of assessment, diagnostic processes, statistical concepts, and research critiques using an ethical, legal, and diversity competent framework (CACREP, 2024; 3.G.)
8. RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION
   • Evaluate scholarly research and its implications in counseling and program evaluation using existing research recommendations as well as ethical, legal, and cultural competencies and standards (CACREP, 2024; 3.H.)
9. CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (CMHC) SPECIALIZATION
   • Develop advanced and specialized knowledge, skills, and dispositions of effective clinical mental health counseling, as defined in ethically, legally, and culturally sustaining standards of practice and the extant professional counseling literature (CACREP, 2024; 5.C.)
10. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
    • Practice and synthesize evidenced-based case conceptualizations, prevention and intervention skills, and personal and professional dispositions that are consistent with ethical, legal, and diversity competent clinical mental health counseling standards of practice and the extant professional counseling literature during Practicum and Internship fieldwork and class experiences (CACREP, 2024; Section 4)