Transcript
Steve Wicks: Hi, I'm Steve Wicks, enrollment advisor for graduate programs. Here at CCAPS, we know that finding the right graduate program can be a challenging process, especially in the field of mental health. So, let's find out a little more about the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health from its director, Deborah Wamsley.
Wicks: What is so unique about the IBH program?
Debra Wamsley: Well, the IBH program was really one of the first integrated programs in the country to train clinicians to work with both mental health and addictions in an integrated fashion. Graduates of the IBH program are trained to work with the whole person; they don't treat addiction as a symptom of mental health or mental health as a symptom of addiction. They really are client-focused.
(Text on screen: The Integrated Behavioral Health Program addresses both mental health and substance use disorders; treats the whole person; is client-focused.)
Wicks: What does client-focused mean exactly?
Wamsley: Client-focused means that we work differently with different people. We are training clinicians to help clients to identify their own goals and to work toward meeting those goals in the context of change, to identify what change might look like for them as individuals.
Wicks: Can students focus on a specific area?
Wamsley: Yes, students can choose up to three different electives, and we've got courses in a number of different areas. We've got a youth specialization, we have gender and sexuality, we've got courses that specialize in trauma. We help students to identify their areas of interest and then help them to move toward those goals.
Wicks: Will graduates be ready to enter the workforce?
Wamsley: Absolutely. Students in the IBH program are engaged in an internship during the course of their program. Many of our courses are actually held in the community, so that they're getting hands-on experience during the course of their academic program. When they're done, they're ready to sit for the license exams for both the LPCC, which is a licensed professional clinical counselor, and the Minnesota LADC, which is the licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor. It's really about preparing students to be change makers and to be leaders in their fields.
(Text on screen: The degree fulfills both the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and the Minnesota Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor education requirements.)
Wicks: If you'd like to learn more about the Integrated Behavioral Health program, let's connect. You can email me or schedule an appointment to chat. Visit the CCAPS website for more details.
(Text on screen: ccaps.umn.edu/IBH; ccapssteve@umn.edu; 612-301-6127)
