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.	Behavioral Health Counseling	3/14/2017	Approved	4/20/2017
Behavioral Health Counseling Program Description
The Lower Division Certificate (L.D.C.) in Behavioral Health Counseling is primarily geared toward students who already possess degrees in the Human Services Counseling field, and now are seeking to specialize in Behavioral Health Counseling, however, students are also eligible for this certificate independent of a degree.  The program includes the coursework most commonly needed by students who enter the Human Services Counseling (HUSC) seeking employment opportunities, and aligns with the Certified Supervised Counselor-Alcohol and Drug (CSC-AD) workforce credential with the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. Students who complete the Behavioral Health Counselor Advanced Certificate, and who already possess a relevant degree, will be eligible to apply for certification or licensure at a variety of levels. 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 behavioral health counseling contexts; assess and document a client's current status and apply basic therapeutic techniques; accurately evaluate the outcome of one's own clinical practice; develop, prioritize, and implement a plan to address a client's presenting problem; conduct themselves professionally and ethically as counselors in culturally-diverse settings; <br>and, express themselves professionally, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of audiences, including clients, other professionals, and external monitoring agencies..  <br>