Back to Institute News" New Minor in Behavioral Healthcare Approved"
The behavioral healthcare field includes a diversity of specialties as well as professionals and paraprofessionals from differing backgrounds. Service delivery in mental health, substance abuse, and related psychosocial settings requires a common set of skills and knowledge bases. USF now offers an undergraduate minor in behavioral healthcare for students interested in pursuing careers in the field of behavioral healthcare in conjunction with any undergraduate major.
This modular minor provides a broad selection of topics required to work in public or private managed care, such as skill building (conducting a mental status evaluation, writing a service plan, and diagnosing mental disorders) and legal issues (Florida commitment laws, a counselor's duty to protect). Current courses include:
Larry E. Thompson, E.D., developed the concept of the Behavioral Healthcare Minor and shepherded it through the univesity's approval process for new programmatic offerings. As Director of the Division of Education and Training, Dr. Thompson's past projects have included: development of emergency screener's training, crisis intervention training for law enforcement, ethical and legal issues for mental health professionals, risk prevention for mental health professionals, the development of consumer-led programming, Baker and Marchman Act administration (client rights, commitment processes, and mediation), human resources and staff development, and professional standards for credentialing and privileging.
For more information on the academic program opportunities at the Institute.
For more information, contact Ann Strawn, at (813)974-6499.