Direct Practice: Adult Mental Health Specialization
See Also:
Direct Practice: Child/Adolescent Mental Health Specialization
Pattern of Enrollment
The following patterns of enrollment are for incoming students in the current academic year. For all patterns of enrollment including those for prior academic years please see the MSASS Registrar’s page on patterns of enrollment.
- 2 Year Students
- 12 Month Advanced Standing Students
- 18 Month Advanced Standing Students
- Intensive Weekend Students
- Intensive Weekend Advanced Standing Students
Mental Health Adult Specialization
This specialization prepares students for community-based mental health practice. Particular attention is given to a biopsychosocial and developmental theoretical framework. A three-tiered public health conceptualization — primary, secondary, and tertiary — organizes student assessment and intervention knowledge, skills, and values. Primary assessment and intervention spotlight the strengths and weaknesses in community supports and mental health policy, the importance of community prevention techniques, and the amelioration of stigma. Secondary refers to specific individual, couple, and family psychosocial interventions and assessments. Tertiary focuses exclusively on psycho-educational interventions.
Field Placement Opportunities
Students complete their advanced field placements in a range of agencies, including mental health centers, hospitals, mental health clinics, and other community-based programs.
The Mental Health Adult specialization is offered in both the Full time and Intensive Weekend program.
Model Schedule / Enrollment
The following is a model Pattern of Enrollment for students enrolled in the full time, two year program. It is not necessarily your schedule. It is featured here to give you an idea of what your schedule at MSASS may look like. We encourage you to consult with your faculty advisor to develop your actual schedule.
| First Year | Semester Hours | |
| SASS 477 | Direct Practice Methods Skills* | 3 |
| SASS 484 | Theories of Oppressions and Social Justice* | 3 |
| SASS 440 | Human Development in Context I: Child & Adolescent* | 3 |
| SASS 470 | Social Policy* | 3 |
| SASS 441 | Human Development II: Adult* | 3 |
| SASS 478 | Macro & Policy Practice Skills* | 3 |
| SASS 426 | Research Methods in Social Work* | 3 |
| SASS 495 | Field Education Seminar* | 1 |
| SASS 601 | Field Education I* | 2 |
| SASS 602 | Field Education II | 3 |
| Second Year | Semester Hours | |
| SASS 583 | Social Work Practice in Mental Health: Adults** | 3 |
| Elective | Choose from: SASS 564, SSWM 575, SSWM 582 | 3 |
| SPPP 510 | Mental Health Policy & Service Delivery | 3 |
| SRCH 530 | Practice Evaluation | 3 |
| SASS 547 | Problems Identification, Screening and Assessment/ Diagnosis | 3 |
| SASS 549 | Theory/Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work | 3 |
| SASS 587 | Integrative Seminar in Mental Health: Adults | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| SASS 603 | Field Education III | 3 |
| SASS 604 | Field Education IV | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours Required for Degree | 60 | |
|---|---|---|
* Foundation Curriculum. BSW students may waive foundation courses if undergraduate coursework grades are B or better.
**Additional pre-requisite