Class of 2014 includes first Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling graduates

by Susan Sullivan
July 15, 2014

The Class of 2014 at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) includes the first Indiana University Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling (MHC) graduates from the Columbus campus.

Mental health counseling (also known as clinical mental health) is a specialty area in counseling professions. IUPUC offers the only graduate program in mental health counseling housed in psychology in south central Indiana. It provides students with the educational requirements for careers as licensed mental health counselors in Indiana.

The names of the 2014 graduates and their hometowns are:

  • GINGER ALLMAN (Columbus)
  • JESSICA COX (Vincennes)
  • ALISA DAWN HILL (Columbus)
  • MERRITT IDLEWINE (Hope)
  • KELLY KRAMER (Columbus)
  • PAMELA SUSAN McCOY (Nashville)
  • CATHERINE JULIA WALKER (North Vernon)

Launched in the fall of 2012, the MHC program admits up to 15 students each academic year, with cohorts starting in the fall, reports Dr. Cheryl Warner, associate professor of psychology and program director.

“Our objective is to build a recognized, respected program that educates graduates who are well-trained for careers in mental health counseling throughout the region,” Warner said. “Eventually, we want to expand the program to include continuing education training for area professionals.”

During the course of their studies, MHC students get experience and build professional relationships through practicum and internship experiences at facilities like Adult & Child Center, Centerstone, Family Service, Inc., Milestones Clinical Health & Resources, Schneck Medical Center, and Volunteers in Medicine, Warner says.

The employment outlook for these IUPUC students is positive, Warner noted, citing a growing need for mental health counselors in the region.

According to 2014 County Health Rankings (countyhealthrankings.org ), there were 276 mental health professionals serving 379,160 residents of Bartholomew and adjacent counties in 2012. Those data equate to one professional serving every 1,374 people, a high consumer-to-counselor ratio often found in small rural communities.

In comparison, Marion County, one of the state’s most populous urban centers, the ratio is one mental health counselor serving every 536 people.

The number of facilities delivering mental health counseling services throughout the region also varies, ranging from one provider for every 772 residents in Bartholomew County to one provider for every 3,049 residents in Brown County.

The demands of modern life are major contributors to high levels of stress, which can negatively impact mental and physical health. In Columbus and other communities, challenges like unemployment, poverty, poor health, limited access to healthcare, and similar challenges can lead to unhealthy coping behaviors, such as substance abuse, which compromise individual health and overall quality of life.

IUPUC graduates are trained to understand the range of normal human development and wellness and to assess mental health concerns and illness, bringing both pieces together in treatment to help clients improve how they function and manage their daily lives. 

Warner expects mental health counseling graduates to find employment in places like community mental health centers, career centers, employee assistance programs, addictions programs, hospitals, primary care centers, corrections facilities, non-profits, psychiatric in-patient facilities, hospice care, private practices, social services agencies, and schools.  Warner stated, “Our graduates are doing quite well in securing employment in the area.”

The MHC program, which can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, is appropriate for adults who have been in the workplace and want to expand their career options through graduate study as well as adults who are interested in changing careers.

“The majority of our students have lived, worked, and raised families in this region. They are committed to staying in the area after graduation and making a difference in quality of life for their neighbors and their communities,” Warner added.

For more information about the Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling program at IUPUC, visit iupuc.edu/mental-health-counseling, contact Warner at warnerch@iupuc.edu or 812. 348.7380 or Kevin McCracken at kjmccrac@iupuc.edu or 812.348.7302.