Rutherford, May 16, 2024 , New Jersey –
Online Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) Addresses Critical Need for Mental Health Providers
The United States is facing a severe mental healthcare crisis. While many point to the recent pandemic as a major contributing factor, the massive care shortage is nothing new. In fact, it is widely accepted that this crisis began in 1963 with the implementation of the Community Mental Health Act (CMHA). This act was intended to improve state mental health facilities and community health care with the goal of substantially reducing the number of people institutionalized for psychological disorders by developing self-sufficient and local mental health centers. While created with the best of intentions, CMHA never reached its full potential. Instead, it created further disfunction within the mental health care system, lack of structure, and widespread deinstitutionalization.
Today, modern healthcare advances have dramatically changed the way mental care is delivered. Individuals, in general, have greater access and treatment options. However, for various reasons including CMHA, the pandemic, insurance reimbursement issues, and counselor burnout, 1 in 3 people now live in a geographic area with a shortage of mental health care workers. In an effort to help restore mental health services to more people nationwide, Felician University is offering its Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) program in an online format, providing a flexible and convenient pathway to a counseling career. Part- and full-time options are available with online coursework completed within 7 or 10 semesters.
What that meansfor the mental health care worker community: It means that professionals with a bachelor’s degree in any field can pursue a career as a licensed mental health counselor and help close the mental health care gap across the country. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% growth rate in counseling jobs between 2022 and 2032, equating to 71,500 new counselor jobs. These statistics reinforce that the market is primed for employment and advancement in mental health careers.
The online Masters in Counseling Psychology curriculum is aligned with licensing standards and licensure to prepare students to become licensed professional counselors, with the ability to serve diverse populations within society. This program will teach the necessary skills for mental health counseling through 60 course credits coupled with hands-on experience through a minimum of 100 practicum and 600+ internship hours for professional preparation. A forensic track option of the program is also offered. Students will learn from faculty members with counseling experience who bring real-world examples to classroom lessons. Through online learning and outside fieldwork, they will learn to identify patterns of behavior and articulate treatment plans for a variety of patients. Students also receive integrated placement support services to complete the clinical portion of the program requirements near their community. Taught within the framework of Franciscan values, Felician’s program empowers graduates to bring a high level of professionalism and humanity to the people and groups they serve. The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology online program curriculum explores such topics as:
· Industrial, Org and Community Counseling
· Marital and Family Counseling
· Multicultural Perspectives in Counseling
· Psychopathology
