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Mental health and health competencies

Students in the Mental health and health Field of Study are expected to acquire competencies in he following areas: evaluation & quality improvement, critical decision making, performing decisions, delivering interventions, interprofessional practice, and equity, anti-racism and social justice. Learn about the skills, courses, and assessment indicators and methods associated with each below.


Mental Health and Health (MH&H) infographic showing main competencies that students will achieve in the program through courses and practicum. Each competency (listed in the text on the page above the graphic) appears in a circle around the name of the field of study.

Evaluation & quality improvement

Skills
  1. Utilizing research
  2. Identifying success indicators
  3. Implementing measures
  4. Monitoring progress
Courses
  • SWK4604
  • SWK 4631
  • SWK 4511
  • SWK 4632
Assessment indicators/methods
  1. Ability to evaluate through use of appropriate tools and observation of changes (SBL & paper)
  2. Articulate gaps in
    MH&H research
  3. Consume, contribute and use research (grant proposal paper)
  4. Monitoring and improving quality assurance in MH&H

Critical decision-making

Skills
  1. Integrating ethics
  2. Compiling evidence
  3. Assessing content/complexity
Courses
  • SWK 4412
  • SWK 4622
  • SWK 4604
  • SWK 4631
  • SWK 4511
Assessment indicators/methods
  1. Analyze complex issues of clients-in-contexts and policy Link-Think in SBL)
  2. Apply ethical decision-making tool (assignment)
  3. Provide the rational for their formulation & intervention selection (paper)
  4. Critically analyze, synthesize and use research evidence (paper)

Performing decisions

Skills
  1. Articulating decision processes
  2. Communicating decisions
  3. Demonstrating decisions
Courses
  • SWK 4632
  • SWK 4622
  • SWK 4604
  • SWK 4631
  • SWK 4511
Assessment indicators/methods
  1. Presenting client needs & research-based rationale for intervention selection/research proposal (SBL presentation)
  2. Assessment of performance (SBL) – communicating, making contracts and goal setting

Delivering interventions

Skills
  1. Enhancing coping & resilience
  2. Reducing distress
  3. Relational Connection
  4. Navigation systems
Courses
  • SWK 4604
  • SWK 4622
  • SWK 4632
  • SWK 4631
Assessment indicators/methods
  1. Assess common factor approach (alliance, collaboration) during intervention (SBL)
  2. Conduct MSE, SRA, and SAA (SBL)
  3. Utilize population appropriate intervention skills (SBL)
  4. Apply motivational interviewing, trauma-informed treatment skills (role-play)
  5. Utilized critical intervention skills (e.g. CBT, EFT, IPT)
  6. Critically integrate various skills (psychotherapy integration)

Interprofessional practice

Skills
  1. Building teams
  2. Communicating role
  3. Addressing conflict
  4. Advocating
Courses
  • SWK 4622
  • SWK 4632
  • SWK 4631
  • SWK 4412
Assessment indicators/methods
  1. Assess collaboration (paper)
  2. Explain social work approach with H&MH issue (paper)
  3. Articulate social work role in interprofessional team (role play)
  4. Assess facilitation skills for interprofessional meeting (role play)
  5. Develop team-patient-caregiver goals of care (paper)

Equity, anti-racism & social justice

Skills
  1. Prioritizing equity and inclusion
  2. Validating cultural expertise
  3. Identifying MH&H beliefs
  4. Addressing SDoH
Courses
  • SWK 4604
  • SWK 4631
  • SWK 4622
  • SWK 4632
  • SWK 4412
  • SWK 4511
Assessment indicators/methods
  1. Culturally sensitive skills (transcript analysis; SBL)
  2. Uncovering health beliefs (SBL with family)
  3. Culturally informed assessments and treatment (paper/SBL)
  4. Articulate social determinants of health (SDoH; case formulation & Tx paper/SBL/Policy brief paper)