NEW MENTAL HEALTH TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

Certificate with Stackable Credential Serves as Gateway to One of the Country’s Fastest-Growing Careers

Earlier this year, Bellevue University launched a new Mental Health Technician Certificate program designed to meet the local and national need for more entry-level workers in the mental healthcare fields.

The 24-week certificate program is offered 100% online and is eligible for financial aid. Students who complete the program earn 16 semester hours of college-level credit and are prepared to work in various settings alongside other healthcare professionals, and with clients and families impacted by substance abuse, mental and emotional disorders, domestic violence, abuse and trauma.

According to University President Dr. Mary Hawkins the new program addresses a major workforce need, as well as a societal one. “Hospitals, human service agencies and other organizations are looking to hire entrylevel professionals who can implement care plans and know how to interact effectively with diverse teams,” she said. “Mental health is really critical to how individuals contribute, in both their personal and professional lives, to the world in which we all live.”

According to LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, hiring for behavioral health technicians has grown 32% on average, year over year, since 2015. Locally, the Mental Health Innovation Foundation, a non-profit organization, is coordinating with area colleges and universities, including Bellevue University, to address a significant workforce shortage in mental healthcare workers.

In addition to the new certificate program, Bellevue University currently offers a range of learning pathways, including specialty gambling and substance abuse certificate programs for licensed counselors and practitioners; undergraduate degree programs in Behavioral Science and Child Protection and Juvenile Justice; a master’s degree program in Child, Youth, and Family Studies and a master’s degree CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

For more information about Bellevue University’s new Mental Health Technician Certificate, please visit https://www.bellevue. edu/degrees/certificate-program/mentalhealth-technician/