Mental Health Pathway

The Mental Health field is extremely broad, encompassing a wide variety of careers that focus on helping people meet their basic human needs including: social worker, counselor, health aid, and much more. Essentially, mental health careers focus on areas where people need help. The day in the life of someone in mental health could include: working with clients and other professionals, such as social workers, to develop a treatment plan and help clients complete paperwork to apply for assistance programs and researching services, such as food stamps and Medicaid, that are available to clients.

The Importance of Mental Health Counselors

Mental Health Counselors provide individual and group counseling to support optimal mental and emotional well-being, addressing a wide range of issues including addiction, relationship challenges, and stress management.

  • Maintain confidentiality of patients records related to treatment
  • Counsel clients individually or in group sessions to help develop insight into themselves or relationships
  • Assess patients for risk of suicide

 

Job Titles:

  • Marriage and Family Therapist
  • Behavior Analyst
  • Licensed Professional Counselor
  • Mental Health Specialist
  • Mental Health Therapist

Learn more about being a Mental Health Counselor, including employment trends, salary averages, and related skills at O*Net or CareerOneStop.

Pathway in Action

Alicia Mendoza’s journey toward a better career at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara shows how the Education Fund can make a real difference. With the help of the Mental Health Pathway, Alicia is close to finishing her Bachelor’s degree in General Psychology, bringing her closer to her goal of improving her finances and opening up more career options. The Education Fund has helped take the financial pressure off her tuition, so she can focus on her studies. Alicia encourages her coworkers to use the Education Fund, saying, “It is a great benefit from our union. We all should use it,” reminding everyone how valuable this opportunity can be for their future.

Education or training requirements

  • Master’s degree in:
    • Marriage and Family Therapy
    • Counseling or Clinical Psychology
    • Social Work
  • Bachelor’s degree prior to getting master’s degree
  • Pass background check
  • Depending on school: full time or part time options, in person/online/hybrid may be available

Accrediting Agencies

  • COAMFTE (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education)
  • CA-BBS (California Board of Behavioral Sciences)
  • CACREP (Commission for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs)
  • CSWE Council on Social Work Education 

Why accreditation is important: An accredited school has been reviewed by an industry organization to ensure that quality standards are met and maintained, providing some assurance of receiving a quality education. Some employers, licensing boards, and graduate schools will only accept credentials earned at an accredited school. Attending an accredited school will often increase your opportunities in the long run, as employers usually prefer to hire people who have graduated from accredited programs

Certifications/licensure

Mental health counselors are generally required to complete specific courses during their master’s degree program as well as hours of supervised internship hours and have to be licensed by one of the following:

  • NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors)
  • BBS (The Board of Behavioral Sciences in California)

Please note: The above content is for informational purposes and is not intended to replace or provide any employer-specific requirements. Please be sure to check your employers’ job descriptions for specific requirements or consult your local HR department.

Interested?

If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, we encourage you to make an appointment with your Career Counselor/Regional Coordinator ​via MyEdFund, our secure, online member portal.

Please note that we receive a tremendous response to our education and training programs. Availability is not guaranteed and varies based on demand, available spots, and our partnerships with educational providers.

Your Career Counselor/Regional Coordinator can discuss these details with you and help you create an individualized education plan.

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