Behavioral Health Human Services Courses

BHHS 101 - Introduction to Behavioral Health & Human Services

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course introduces students to the field of Behavioral Health and Human Services, including its history and evolution. Students are introduced to the scope of work within the human service profession and the settings where client services are provided. The course encourages students to explore ethics, values and self-understanding as these apply to the human services worker and workplace while acquiring communication skills and understanding of applicable current technology.

Offered Online: Yes

BHHS 102 - Social Determinants of Behavioral Health

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

In this course, students learn about the social determinants (economic, social, and political) that affect people's behavioral health and how disparities impact health equity. By taking a broad community approach, the course enables students to contextualize individual behavioral health problems to consider ways to improve neighborhoods, increase health access, support high school graduation rates, and build social cohesion and civic participation.

General Education Fulfillment: Cultural Analysis and Interpretation

BHHS 103 - Human Development and Behavior in the Social Environment

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a perspective on human behavior and development that deepens an understanding of their own behavior and that of the clients with whom they interact. Behavior will be examined through the Life Course Perspective by looking at how life stages, life events, and cultural differences operate within a biological, psychological, and social framework, shaping people's lives from conception to death. Students will also become familiar with assessment approaches used by Human Service workers when helping clients within their developmental contexts.

Offered Online: Yes
General Education Fulfillment: Cultural Analysis and Interpretation
Prerequisite:

ENGL 101

BHHS 105 - Introduction to Group Dynamics

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Course presents different theories on the functioning of small face-to-face groups. Concepts such as norms, goals, leadership, cohesion, membership and decision-making will be explained. Students will practice observation skills so that they can diagnose a group. Each student also will have an opportunity to lead a group, exercising these observation skills. Open to all students.

BHHS 106 - Analysis of Group Participation

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Students will participate as members of a small ongoing group. They will use the theory and concepts from Introduction to Group Dynamics and apply them to their own interactions. The emphasis will be on how groups influence the individual and how the individual, in turn, influences the group. Personal communication skills should be enhanced.

Offered Online: Yes
Prerequisite:

BHHS 105 with grade of "C" or better.

BHHS 110 - Principles and Practice of Positive Youth Development: Community, Family and Youth Engagement

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course focuses on the foundations of the positive youth development approach. Students desiring to work with youth learn the essential principles and practices for fostering family, community, and youth engagement. Students will learn how to utilize and build upon the resources, skills, talents, and resilience existing within communities, families, and neighborhoods as the means for fostering positive development for youth. Additionally, students will design their own youth development project proposals and presentations. 

BHHS 111 - Introduction to Helping Skills

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Learning and application of basic and advanced interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to establish working relationships with individuals that help clients identify, explore and develop action plans. BHHS students must satisfactorily complete this course with a "C" grade or higher before taking practica and other higher level courses.

Prerequisite:

BHHS 101, which may be taken concurrently.

BHHS 121 - Foundations of Addiction Studies

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

The biopsychosocial aspects of various addictive behavior will be examined. This will include the pharmacology of addictive substances, the physiological effects on the user, the psychological consequences of use, and the sociological conditions that cause and result from substance abuse. A brief history of drug and alcohol abuse will be introduced, along with various treatment approaches to addictions.

Offered Online: Yes

BHHS 131 - Faith and Spirituality in Human Services

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course integrates secular helping skills with faith-based healing practices in human services. Students will gain an understanding of community empowerment models of recovery and their interaction with faith and spiritual beliefs. The course explores issues of cultural competence, ethical practice and helping/healing relationships. Human services practices are discussed in the context of systems that promote recovery and resilience. The course concludes with a description of alternative healing resources that support optimal living.

Offered Online: Yes

BHHS 151 - Family and Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Family and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Abuse are pervasive social problems that impact the physical, emotional, psychological, and behavioral health of those who experience this victimization. This course focuses on the specific forms and cycles of abuse that occur within families and intimate partner relationships and the personal and interpersonal dynamics of the victims, perpetrators, and witnesses. Students will also be introduced to the intra-and intergenerational impact of family and intimate partner abuse and violence, along with the intersectionality of culture, age, sexual orientation, and gender. Strategies for prevention, intervention, survivor safety and the response of social service agencies and the criminal justice system will also be addressed.

General Education Fulfillment: Cultural Analysis and Interpretation

BHHS 161 - Introduction to Disability Studies

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed for students who are preparing to or currently work in the field of disability services, which includes services to those with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities. It provides students with the opportunity to develop an understanding and knowledge of disability services that takes into consideration the individual with a disability, societal influences, the environmental setting and disability law. Students will learn to employ recovery-centered planning and life skills training to support self-advocacy, productivity and inclusion of persons with disabilities in family, community and vocational settings. The role of the disability support provider, types of services and the manner in which services are delivered are also examined in this course.

Offered Online: Yes

BHHS 171 - Introduction to Aging Studies

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Students examine myths about aging and stereotypes of older adults and contrast them against facts that they gather about the older adult population in the U.S. and elsewhere. Through reading, research, and discussion, students identify and discuss current and predicted trends in aging, taking into consideration the biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of the aging process and of aging individuals across cultures. Students examine how broad social phenomena such as poverty impact older adults and learn about special populations within the aging community and the challenges and opportunities these and other issues present to caregivers and human service workers as they contribute to productive aging.

Offered Online: Yes
General Education Fulfillment: Cultural Analysis and Interpretation

BHHS 191 - Introduction to Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course provides students with an introduction to the field of trauma and trauma-informed care. Students will examine the history of traumatic studies, as well as the current trauma-informed approaches to understanding and treating human psychological trauma, with a focus on how complex trauma experiences impact the cognitive, neuropsychological, and emotional development of survivors and relate to their behavioral and psychological symptoms. Students will be introduced to trauma-informed approaches designed to provide healing and self-care to survivors along with addressing vicarious trauma and the need for practitioner self-care.

General Education Fulfillment: Cultural Analysis and Interpretation

BHHS 194 - Case Management Practice

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Students are introduced to the concept of case management within the context of human service delivery. They develop observation, problem-solving, recording and relationship building skills through the exploration of the case management process which includes client engagement and assessment, interview techniques and collection of client information. Students learn how to plan and develop a case file, refer clients for services, monitor the service coordination process and terminate a case. They also explore professional responsibility and cultural diversity in the context of case management practice.

Offered Online: Yes
Prerequisite:

BHHS 111 with a grade of "C" or better.

BHHS 195 - Practicum in Behavioral Health/Human Services I

3-12-3
Credit Hours: 3

This is the first of two practicum courses in which students work directly with clients. Students spend 12 hours per week (156 hours per semester) in a field placement related to their area of interest. In addition, during class time they discuss field experiences and present a case related to a client and/or agency.

Prerequisite:

BHHS 111 with a grade of "C" or better.

BHHS 212 - Resolution-Focused Helping Skills

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

BHHS 212 introduces students to the values, concepts, vocabulary, knowledge base and practice skills of time-sensitive approaches to helping relationships. The cultural and historical factors that have shaped time-limited approaches to treatment are emphasized. The course addresses how people change, extra-therapeutic factors and clinician-specific variables that predict successful outcomes in helping relationships. Motivational interviewing and resolution-focused models of helping are introduced and specific skill sets are practiced through role-plays, supervision, and audio and video recording. Students learn to work with individuals of varying ages and abilities in a variety of behavioral health settings and with groups using skills sets such as assessing readiness, identifying key challenges, establishing goals and taking specific action steps. This course is a continuation of BHHS 111, Introduction to Helping Skills.

Prerequisite:

BHHS 111 with a grade of "C" or better.

BHHS 213 - Practicum in Behavioral Health/Human Services II

3-12-3
Credit Hours: 3

This is the second of two practicum courses in which students work directly with clients. Students spend 12 hours per week (156 hours per semester) in a field placement. During class time, students develop the ability to make meaningful connections between direct practice experience and classroom knowledge especially as it relates to utilizing resolution-focused helping skills, increasing competence at managing personal responses to client issues and developing skills related to professional identity.

Prerequisite:

BHHS 195 with a grade of "C" or better.

Co-requisites:

BHHS 212 with a "C" grade or better. Must be taken concurrently.

BHHS 222 - Assessment and Service Planning in Recovery

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course will explore the medical, psychological, cultural and social aspects of recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs of abuse. The student will be introduced to counseling techniques, case management, extended recovery and a person first approach to assessment issues, professional responsibility and proper ethical practice. Special populations such as dually diagnosed (co-occurring disorders) individuals and HIV substance abusers will be discussed. The course compares the traditional medical model and the community based social model of recovery.

Offered Online: Yes
Prerequisite:

BHHS 121

BHHS 241 - Crisis Intervention

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

Prepares students to give immediate help to people experiencing crises. Applies a short-term crisis intervention model for assessing and helping persons regain equilibrium during these crisis experiences. Simulations and role-playing activities are used to model crisis intervention with situations such as: post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, sexual assault, partner battering, addictions and personal loss.

Offered Online: Yes

BHHS 293 - Family and Relationship Counseling

3-0-3
Credit Hours: 3

This course focuses on counseling skills necessary to work with families and couples from a systems approach. Students will have an opportunity to practice the skills they learned in BHHS 111. They will apply those skills to relationships, including families and couples. In addition, class time will be devoted to learning about multicultural and diversity issues involved in working with families.

Offered Online: Yes
Prerequisite:

BHHS 111 with a grade of "C" or better.

BHHS 299 – Field Experience in Behavioral Health and Human Services

2-0-10-3
Credit Hours: 3

Field Experience in Behavioral Health and Human Services is designed to prepare students to become entry-level human service workers. Students gain an experiential, cumulative learning opportunity in a human services agency for 120 hours over the course of the semester. Students are placed into field sites that focus on micro, mezzo and macro aspects of practice under the supervision of both a faculty liaison/instructor and an agency field supervisor. Emphasis is placed on the integration of best practices as they pertain to emerging trends in the field. This learning takes place in various modalities which may include group and individual meetings with the instructor and/or the field instructor.

Prerequisite:

BHHS 212, which may be taken concurrently, and BHHS 194