Academic Certificate

Behavioral Health Support Specialist

New in Fall 2024: Build foundational skills to support and serve your community
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Contact and location

Credits & Duration

  • 32 credits

Format

Start Term

  • Fall

Schedule

  • Varies by course

What You'll Learn

Individuals looking to expand their experiences in human services or get a boost in their career or future educational plans will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to receive the Behavioral Health Support Specialist (BHSS) license in Washington state. Students will advance their skills, learning to work with vulnerable populations to develop a culturally responsive and equitable approach to mental health treatment. Students will learn from a range of experiences, including an internship placement in a behavioral health setting. 

You'll learn:

  • Essential counseling and relationship skills
  • Cultural responsiveness
  • Team-based care
  • Screening and assessment 
  • Targeted behavioral health interventions
  • Ethics and law
  • Care planning and coordination
  • Health equity

Certificate Prerequisites

Students must complete 4 credits of Abnormal Psychology:

Abnormal Psychology- Spring Quarter, 4 credits

Plus 2 of the following courses: 
Lifespan Development- Winter Quarter, 4 credits
Theories of Personality- Winter Quarter, 4 credits
Introduction to Neuroscience OR Biological Basis of Behavior- 4 credits

Email certificates@evergreen.edu if you have questions about these prerequisites. 

Certificate Coursework

This certificate consists of 32 undergraduate credits. 

Addiction and Treatment: Strengths Based Perspectives - Fall or Spring Quarter, 4 credits
The Helping Relationship: Introduction to Counseling Theory, Skills and Ethics - Fall Quarter, 8 credits
Must be taken before Integrative Behavioral Health and the Behavioral Health Internship
Integrative Behavioral Health: Assessment, Interventions and Case Management - Winter Quarter, 8 credits
Behavioral Health Support Specialist Internship - Fall, Winter, Spring Quarter, 12 credits over at least 2 quarters

Learn more about courses in the Academic Catalog