UMA’s Mental Health & Human Services programs allow students to specialize in a variety of areas, and build a curriculum that meets their individual career goals.
There are four different concentrations each directed toward different avenues of career and professional development: Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation, Addictions Counseling, Child and Family Services and Mental Health and Human Services Generalist.
The B.S. degree meets the academic requirement for the Licensed Social Worker-Conditional (LSX) credential, and students completing the Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation concentration qualify for the Mental Health Rehabilitation/Community (MHRT/C) credential.
The Graduate Certificate offers current professionals the flexibility to obtain a graduate certificate that can lead to career advancement and become a pathway to a Master’s Degree.
Mission Statement
UMA’s Mental Health and Human Services(MHHS) program prepares undergraduates for leadership and service roles within the community and with diverse populations. The MHHS department is committed to incorporating community-based, Fieldwork Placement experiences within its educational program to maximize students’ personal and professional development.
Values and Beliefs
The Mental Health and Human Services field is a caring profession. Our goal is to assist clients and to help them achieve an individual level of wellness through a strengths-based approach. The profession requires ethical and substantial reasoning skills in order to make sound and thoughtful decisions, which incorporate accountability and integrity. Professional actions are based on a body of knowledge that integrates theories from the arts, humanities, physical sciences, and humanistic sciences.
Course Delivery
In fulfilling our commitment to students’ learning needs and responding to continual changes in service delivery, the faculty integrates technology throughout the curriculum. The MHHS curriculum is delivered via a variety of contemporary learning platforms, including hybrid, web-based, and video conferencing.
Skills You’ll Acquire
The UMA MHHS graduate is prepared to utilize mental health and substance use disorder theory, technology, and evidenced-based knowledge while maintaining a therapeutic caring relationship.
You’ll acquire skills in handling crises, managing caseloads, representing others (advocacy), providing psychosocial rehabilitation, counseling, job coaching, teaching life and career skills, providing educational support, coordinating support services, identifying and solving problems, and more.
Sequence of Courses
All University degrees have a specific curriculum which is made up of several components: Core and General Education, Program Requirements, Program Electives and General Electives. How a student goes about completing the curriculum is determined by where the student starts.
- If you are just entering college we recommend taking your Core and General Education requirements during the first two years that you are here. That will ensure that you are fully prepared to take other courses later in your academic career.
- If you are transferring into the program once your prior credits have been assessed, it will be important to make sure that you have completed the Core and General Education courses.
Regardless of which pathway brought you here, progressing through program requirements and electives is rather straight forward. We have simplified the process of selecting courses to ensure both continuity and choice for the student. The fundamental principle is to follow the numbers. Students are encouraged to take 100-level classes initially. These courses are general in nature and provide an entry into more advanced classes. 200-hundred level classes are primarily designed to develop and enhance skills and knowledge useful for more advanced classes. 300-level classes typically are building upon earlier courses. Finally, 400 level classes should be taken once the student has completed most of their undergraduate education. These courses prepare the student for the internship/capstone experience, then graduation and entry into either the profession or further education for a more advanced degree.
A special note regarding general electives. The baccalaureate degree program in Mental Health and Human Services has many required classes, hence limiting the number of electives (5, three-credit courses). Students, particularly those transferring into the program, should be very cautious about taking courses that do not directly lead to the degree.
UMA’s Mental Health and Human Services’ Associate of Science degree is integrated within our baccalaureate program. Students can pursue a variety of potential career paths and earn an Associate’s degree along the way. The sequence of taking courses should be the same as the baccalaureate degree; take the Core and General Education courses during the first year and then follow the numbers, take the 100-level, then 200-level and finally the 300-level courses. Once you have fulfilled the required prerequisite courses you will need to take HUS 223 Fieldwork Preparation and then HUS 270 Fieldwork Placement I.
Student Resources
These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the University of Maine at Augusta of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. The University of Maine at Augusta bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
- State Board of Social Worker Licensure, License Types
LSX is the conditional social work license. Make sure you stay abreast of the regulations for licensure. This license is required for medical type environments. - Board of Alcohol & Drug Counselors, License Types
There are three levels of licensure. The first is CADC, which is required to work with individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder. - Behavioral Health Training Resources
This page includes links to a wide variety of behavioral health training resources and is intended for individuals interested in, or currently working in, the behavioral health field. - Behavioral Health Professional Certification
BHP training and certification is required for direct care providers working in Children’s Behavioral Health Services, either in the school or home/community setting, in programs receiving MaineCare reimbursement for section 28 RCS, 28 RCS Specialized, and 65 HCT or Day Treatment Services. Additional requirements for BHP certification include current Child & Adult CPR/First Aid certification and completion of an OSHA compliant Bloodborne Pathogens training. - Maine Department of Education Certification & Credentialing
- Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community (MHRT/C)
People who work in the MHRT/Community (MHRT/C) role provide services to adults with serious mental illness. You can qualify for MHRT/C certification through a variety of ways.
Criminal Background Check Policy
Many agencies that provide mental health and human services field placement opportunities for students require a criminal background check. If a criminal background check indicates a conviction, this conviction may prevent you from securing a field placement, which is a required component of our degree programs. A conviction may also negatively impact your ability to get licensure to practice in the field of behavioral health. It is recommended that you contact the Licensure Board in the state(s) you plan to practice receiving specific information regarding their requirements. Other types of background checks, such as child protection or driving history, may be identified and required by the organization that is considering you for a field placement.
If you have any doubts, please initiate a criminal background check yourself. This may include a Department of Motor Vehicle check as well.