The purpose of the Certificate in Mental Health is to equip students with advanced knowledge and skills for working with individuals affected by serious mental illness. Students will learn to create treatment plans, respond to mental health crises and engage in post-crisis planning. Students will understand how brain development is shaped by life experiences, genetics and illness, as well as how neural pathways and brain anatomy influence clinical interventions. Students will be equipped to support individuals with mental health illness who are often misunderstood or marginalized, and to build strong partnerships across systems of care to support those individuals. Graduates of the proposed program will be prepared to work in a variety of settings with individuals, families and communities who are affected by mental illness by using various trauma-informed approaches.
Student learning outcomes
Students who complete this certificate will be able to:
- Recognize the historical context of serious mental illness in the United States, including societal views, treatment and experience of individuals.
- Apply knowledge of case formulation and treatment planning when working with serious mental illness.
- Understand medical interventions (including terminology) that are often used in tandem with psychosocial interventions.
- Identify differential applications of these serious mental illness treatment modalities in clinical and multi-disciplinary practice, including but not limited to CBTp, DBT for psychosis, cognitive remediation therapy through a trauma-informed, anti-racist lens
- Identify and practice models of crisis planning and suicide risk assessment, as research shows SMI clients have higher levels of at-risk behaviors and lower levels of family/community support.
- Understand how brain development is impacted by environment, genetics and disease.
- Understand the impact of neural pathways and brain anatomy on clinical interventions.
- Provide an analysis of social indicators (poverty, gender, race, etc.) to help expand perspectives on the intersection of mental health with oppressive structures.
- Recognize the impact of systemic structures on access to mental health care and treatment of mental health concerns.
- Identify how helping clients heal is a social justice issue.
- Identify how racism, bias and discrimination in diagnosing and treatment settings impact marginalized groups seeking mental health services.
VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs
The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.
It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.
Graduation requirements
As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Fall | ||
| Spring |
Please visit www.socialwork.vcu.edu for admission deadline dates. The admission requirements outlined will apply to all students. All applicants to the graduate certificate program are required to meet the admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School. Applicants will be required to submit the following materials to the Graduate School Admissions Office:
- Application form and application fee
- Three letters of recommendation, professional and/or academic
- Official undergraduate transcripts from all schools attended
- A personal statement of purpose outlining career goals
- A resume stating relevant work experience
No transfer credit hours are accepted for this certificate program. Credits from a degree already awarded cannot be applied toward the certificate.
For international students, the following is required:
- An official transcript evaluation from a recognized foreign educational credentials evaluation service accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
- A Test of English as a Foreign Language minimum composite score of 100 for the Internet-based Test or 600 for the paper-based score; or an International English language Testing System minimum score of 6.5 on the academic exam
- A minimum score of 68 on the VCU English Language Program Compression test (Students who do not achieve a score of 68 will be placed in the appropriate level of English language proficiency courses.)
In addition, the School of Social Work will require applicants to the certificate program to satisfy the following requirements.
- Applicants will be required to respond to three different statement prompts. Each statement response should be no more than 500 words. Applicants should demonstrate their understanding of the social work profession, ethics/values, and their suitability for VCU’s program. Visit the National Association of Social Workers website to learn more about the ethics and values of the social work profession. The statement prompts can be found at https://socialwork.vcu.edu/admissions-and-aid/apply-to-msw/msw-application-guidelines/.
Curriculum requirements
The curriculum for these courses emphasizes advanced competencies in understanding, treating and supporting individuals with serious mental illness through a combination of evidence-based, trauma-informed and neurobiological perspectives. The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of clinical approaches while integrating theoretical knowledge, social justice principles and therapeutic techniques.
The certificate requires 12 credits for completion as outlined below.
Degree requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SLWK 727 | Trauma and Social Work Practice: Theory, Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| SLWK 762 | Treatment of SMI (Serious Mental Illness) Through a Trauma-Informed and Evidence-Based Perspective | 3 |
| SLWK 763 | Neurobiology and Social Work | 3 |
| SLWK 764 | Mental Health Practice | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Students who complete the requirements for this degree will receive a Certificate in Mental Health.
Contact
School of Social Work admissions team
sswinfo@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1030
Additional contact
Cassie DeSena Jacobs, DSW, LCSW, CCTP-II, MBA
Assistant professor, director of mental health initiatives and M.S.W. clinical content coordinator
jacobsc2@vcu.edu
Sarah Burton-Everette, M.Ed.
Assistant director of M.S.W. program administration and director of dual degrees, certificates and credentialing
severette2@vcu.edu
Program website: socialwork.vcu.edu/academics/master-of-social-work/certificates-certifications-and-dual-degrees/graduate-certificate-in-mental-health/