NDSCS College Catalog

Mental Health Care Associate

The Mental Health Care Associate curriculum is designed to prepare entry-level mental health care/human service practitioners to provide high quality care and services in a variety of settings. This curriculum will also provide students with the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to advance in their profession. Students will participate in both classroom and field experiences that are intended to provide a generalist-model foundation in helping people. This program of study also has the flexibility to allow students to tailor their educational experience with the client population of their choice.

Typically, Mental Health Care Associate degree graduates find employment opportunities in a variety of human service settings.

Services oftentimes will include problem-solving skill development, crisis assessment and intervention, interpersonal communication skills development, medication monitoring, assisting with activities of daily living and case-management activities. Graduates are often employed in both public and private settings, such as mental health centers, human service agencies, hospitals and residential treatment centers.

Contact Information

Char Schuler, program director
Mental Health Care Associate program
charlotte.schuler@ndscs.edu
701-671-2364

North Dakota State College of Science
Allied Health Careers
800 Sixth Street North
Wahpeton, ND 58076-0002
Phone: 1-800-342-4325 ext. 3-2981
Fax: 701-671-2570
Email: alliedhealthcareers@ndscs.edu

Course Code Course Title Credits
BIOL 115 Human Structure and Function 3
BIOL 115L Human Structure and Function Lab 1
ENGL 110 College Composition 3
ENGL 120 College Composition II or
ENGL 120 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3
History/Humanities elective 3
PSYC 105 Relationships and Self-Esteem 2
PSYC 111 Introduction to Psychology 3
PSYC 250 Developmental Psychology 3
PSYC 270 Abnormal Psychology 3
PSYC 299 Addictions and Alternatives 1
PHIL 210 Ethics 3
SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology 3
SOC 220 Family 3
** MATH 102 Intermediate Algebra 3
General Education elective 4
HPER 210 First Aid and CPR 2
HPER 217 Personal and Community Health 3
CIS 101 Computer Literacy 2
TOTAL REQUIRED CREDITS 64
*20 hour volunteer and written reflection required prior to experience.
** Prerequisite may be required as determined by COMPASS testing.
Suggested sequence of study
First Semester Second Semester
SWK 200 SWK 256
BIOL 115 MEHC 221
BIOL 115L PSYC 250
ENGL 110 HPER 217
SOC 110 ENGL 120 or COMM 110
PSYC 111 CIS 101
Third Semester Fourth Semester
MEHC 262 MEHC 265
PSYC 270 General Education elective
PHIL 210 Humanities/History elective
MATH 102 PSYC 105
SOC 220 PSYC 299
HPER 210
*The student may choose to spread the program of study to five or more semesters.

Admission requirements

The applicants must be high school graduates or equivalent. Applicants may be required to complete a basic skills evaluation during the admissions process. Applicants are invited to visit the program.

Award

Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Mental Health Care Associate.

Social Work Transfer option