Counseling in a (Community) Agency Setting

Counseling in a (Community) Agency Setting prepares students to understand and advocate for positive attention to developmental needs of individuals, families, schools, and communities. Agency Counselors respond to the mental health needs of a variety of individuals and families, through a wide spectrum of services including support, education, assessment, and treatment. Counselors promote mental healthy through well-developed and consistent theoretical application and appreciate cultural, ethnic, and gender differences as they relate to perceptions and expectations of counseling.

Students graduating from the program having completed the requirements for the (Community) Agency emphasis are endorsed for counseling in a community agency setting.  This program emphasis is accredited by CACREP. The program prepares students to sit for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) exam and if passed successfully, they would become “Board Eligible” for certification as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC).  Graduates are eligible for certification as a Counselor Associate under South Dakota Codified Law, 36-32-14.  Once graduates complete an approved plan for the remainder of the supervised clinical experience, they are eligible for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health (LPC-MH).

Required Curriculum: In addition to the core courses, the courses below must be taken to satisfy the requirements of the Counseling in a (Community) Agency Setting emphasis:

Core Requirements.............................................................................................................................. 35

CHRD 713—Administration & Management of Mental Health Organizations........................................... 3

CHRD 723—Counseling the Family.......................................................................................................... 3

CHRD 755—Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning........................................................................... 4

CHRD 794—Counseling Internship: (Community) Agency................................... (counted in core requirements)

Elective.................................................................................................................................................. 3

Total Program Credit Hours.................................................................................................................. 48

CHRD Core Requirements:

Level 1 Courses

CHRD 601—Introduction to Professional Issues & Ethics I..................................................................... 1
CHRD 602—Research and Evaluation in Counseling.............................................................................. 3
CHRD 610—Developmental Issues in Counseling................................................................................. 3
CHRD 661—Theories of Counseling..................................................................................................... 3

Level 2 Courses

CHRD 731—Multicultural Counseling & Human Relations..................................................................... 3
CHRD 736—Appraisal of the Individual................................................................................................ 3
CHRD 742—Career Counseling and Planning........................................................................................ 3
CHRD 766—Group Counseling............................................................................................................. 3
CHRD 785—Pre-Practicum................................................................................................................... 3

Level 3 Courses

CHRD 701—Professional Issues & Ethics II............................................................................................ 1
CHRD 786—Counseling Practicum........................................................................................................ 3

Level 4 Course

CHRD 794—Internship (track specific).................................................................................................. 6
Total Core Credit Hours..................................................................................................................... 35

Link to a professional association: http://www.counseling.org/