Academic Program Proposal

Date Proposal Activated	Institution and Proposal	Degree Awarded	Academic Program Name	Objection Deadline	MHEC Final Action	Final Decision Date
1/13/2017	Community College of Baltimore County Proposal	L.D.C.	Elder Care	3/14/2017	Approved	4/20/2017
Elder Care Program Description
The Lower Division Certificate (L.D.C.) in Elder Care addresses the needs of the aging of the baby boomer generation. The demand for trained workers to assist with a myriad of tasks associated with aging has skyrocketed in the previous decade, and all numbers show it will continue. Students will find the Elder Care Specialist Certificate prepares them to work in this expanding field of elder care and geriatrics.  The program will prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities for entry-level positions in the Human Services Counseling field.  Graduates of the program will be able to utilize a variety of counseling skills and abilities to function effectively as counselors in a variety of settings; assess and document a client's current status and apply basic therapeutic techniques; develop, prioritize, and implement a plan to address a client's presenting problem; conduct themselves professionally and ethically as counselors in culturally-diverse settings; and, express themselves professionally, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of audiences, including clients, other professionals, and external monitoring agencies.