Mental Health Technician Specialist Program

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Category: 
Counseling & Coaching
Combined Hours: 
360
Course Type: 
Mentor Supported
  • Description
  • Objectives
  • Outline
  • Materials
  • Certification
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Our Mental Health Technician Specialist Program focuses on providing a solid background in working with mentally, developmentally, or emotionally impaired individuals. The Mental Health Technician Specialist Program will also focus on abnormal behavior in order to understand abnormal patterns of functioning to better assist professionals with the individual's daily needs.

Mental Health Technician

This Mental Health Technician course provides a solid background in mental health so you can work comfortably with clients who exhibit both effective and maladaptive behaviors. Nurses, case managers, psychiatric technicians, direct care providers, and other health care professionals will increase their awareness and understanding of a holistic view of mental health care with this comprehensive online training program. A variety of therapies and treatments are explored to assist in dealing with psychological or psychosocial problems, such as substance use conditions, medical illnesses, developmental delays and disabilities, and social stressors such as poverty, domestic violence, and homelessness. 

Prerequisite(s): None

Abnormal Psychology

In the same way that psychology offers important insights in terms of human behavior and experience, so does the sub-field known as abnormal psychology. Our Abnormal Psychology course will introduce psychopathology and changing views of mental illness. We examine impairments in brain functions and social processes and how this affects everyday life. Our course explores disorders of childhood, mood disorders, psychoses, schizophrenia, sexuality, eating, and anxiety disorders. By taking this course, you will discover the many faces of abnormal psychology and will be challenged to define what is normal and abnormal.

Prerequisite(s): None

** Course Subject to Change.

Mental Health Technician

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Recall the history and current trends of mental healthcare
  • Name the characteristics of common psychiatric disorders
  • Define human behavior and different elements affecting it
  • Identify methods for assisting those suffering from loss of life
  • Recognize legalities related to the mental health office 

Abnormal Psychology

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Identify components of psychopathology and neuroscience approaches to treating mental illness
  • Recall symptoms and behaviors associated with psychological disorders, childhood disorders, mood disorders, and suicide
  • Recognize how stress, trauma, and anxiety affect psychopathology
  • Define characteristics of eating, sexuality, and addictive disorders
  • Identify traits associated with schizophrenia, personality, and neurocognitive disorders

 

Mental Health Technician

Mental Health Technician Module 1
Mental Health Care: Past and Present
   

  • The History of Mental Health Care
  • Early Years
  • 19th Century United States
  • 20th and 21st Centuries
  • Current Mental Health Care Systems
  • Care Settings
  • Delivery of Community Mental Health Services
  • Client Populations
  • Ethical and Legal Issues

Mental Health Technician Module 2  
Theories and Therapies

  • Sociocultural Issues
  • Influences of Culture
  • Cultural Assessment
  • Historical Theories
  • Developmental Theories and Therapies
  • Behavioral Theories and Therapies
  • Humanistic Theories and Therapies
  • Cognitive Theories and Therapies
  • Body-Based CAM Therapies
  • Energy-Based CAM Therapies

Mental Health Technician Module 3
Principles and Skills of Mental Health Care  

  • Psychotherapeutic Drug Therapy
  • Classification of Psychotherapeutic Drugs
  • Client Care Guidelines
  • Skills for Mental Health Care
  • Principles and Practices for Caregivers
  • Mental Health Assessment Skills
  • Mental Health Treatment Plan
  • The Health History
  • Mental Status Assessment

Mental Health Technician Module 4
Therapeutic Environment    

  • Theories and Characteristics of Communication
  • Levels of Communication
  • Dynamics of the Therapeutic Relationship
  • Characteristics of the Therapeutic Relationship
  • Roles of the Caregiver
  • Problems Encountered in the Therapeutic Relationship
  • Use of Inpatient Setting
  • Goals of the Therapeutic Environment
  • The Therapeutic Environment and Client Needs

Mental Health Technician Module 5
Childhood to Adulthood  

  • Normal Childhood Development
  • Environmental Problems
  • Emotional Problems
  • Behavioral Problems
  • Mental Health Problems of Adolescence
  • Therapeutic Interventions
  • Adult Growth and Development
  • Mental Health Problems of Adults

Mental Health Technician Module 6
Cognitive Impairment and Managing Anxiety

  • Overview of Aging
  • Common Problems of Older Adults
  • Cognitive Impairment
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Dementia
  • Types of Anxiety
  • Stages of Dying
  • Hospice Care

Mental Health Technician Module 7  
Illnesses and Depression

  • The Nature of Illness
  • The Hospitalization Experience
  • Loss and Grief
  • The Dying Process
  • Theories Relating to Emotions and Their Disorders
  • Emotions Throughout the Life Cycle
  • Mood Disorders

Mental Health Technician Module 8  
Physical and Dissociative Issues

  • Role of Emotions in Health
  • Anxiety and Stress
  • Somatic Symptom Disorders
  • Eating Disorders
  • Sleep-Wake Disorders
  • Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Within the Community
  • Continuum of Self-Concept Responses
  • Self-Concept Throughout the Life Cycle

Mental Health Technician Module 9  
Anger, Outward and Inward Focused Emotions

  • Theories of Anger and Aggression
  • The Cycle of Assault
  • Anger-Control Disorders
  • Social Factors and Violence
  • Mental Health Disorders Relating to Violence
  • Impact of Suicide on Society
  • Dynamics and Theories of Suicide
  • Suicide Throughout the Life Cycle

Mental Health Technician Module 10  
Substance, Sexual, and Personality Disorders

  • Role of Chemicals in Society
  • Categories of Abused Substances
  • Characteristics of Substance Use and Abuse
  • Sexuality Throughout the Life Cycle
  • Modes of Sexual Expression
  • Psychosexual Disorders
  • Personality Throughout the Life Cycle
  • Theories Relating to Personality Disorders

Mental Health Technician Module 11  
Schizophrenia and Chronic Mental Health Disorders

  • Psychoses Throughout the Life Cycle
  • Theories Relating to Psychoses
  • Psychotic Disorders
  • Public Policy and Mental Health
  • Experience of Chronic Mental Illness
  • Special Populations
  • Challenges for the Future
  • Change and Mental Health Clients

**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**

Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal Psychology Module 1     
Causes of Abnormal Behavior   

  • Recognizing the Presence of a Disorder
  • Features of Abnormal Behavior
  • Defining Abnormal Behavior
  • Who Experiences Abnormal Behavior?
  • Psychopathology in Historical Context
  • Systems Theory
  • Biological Factors
  • Psychological Factors
  • Social Factors

Abnormal Psychology Module 2
Treatment of Psychological Disorders  

  • DSM-5: Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Biological Treatments
  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapies
  • Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
  • Humanistic Therapies
  • Research on Psychotherapy
  • Couple, Family, and Group Therapy

Abnormal Psychology Module 3    
Classification and Assessment of Abnormal Behavior

  • Basic Issues in Classification
  • Classifying Abnormal Behavior
  • Evaluating Classification Systems
  • Basic Issues in Assessment
  • Interviews and Observations
  • Personality Tests
  • Self-Report Inventories
  • Biological Assessment Procedures

Abnormal Psychology Module 4
Mood Disorders and Suicide  

  • Systems Associated with Depression
  • Diagnosis for Depression and Bipolar Disorders
  • Course, Outcome, and Frequency
  • Social, Psychological, Biological Factors
  • Treatment for Depressive Disorders
  • Treatment for Bipolar and Mood Disorders
  • Aspects of Suicide

Abnormal Psychology Module 5
Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Stress Disorders

  • Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
  • Diagnosis and Frequency of Anxiety Disorders
  • Social, Biological, and Psychological Factors
  • Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
  • Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
  • Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders
  • Frequency, Causes, and Treatment of PTSD and ASD
  • Dissociate Disorders
  • Somatic Symptom Disorders

Abnormal Psychology Module 6
Stress and Physical Health

  • Defining Stress
  • Stress as a Life Event
  • Symptoms of Stress
  • Immune System Responses
  • Cancer
  • AIDS
  • Pain Disorder
  • Sleep-Wake Disorders
  • Coping and Resilience
  • Diagnosis of Stress and Physical Illness
  • Cardiovascular Disease and Stress

Abnormal Psychology Module 7
Personality Disorders

  • Important Features of Personality Disorders
  • Temperament and Personality Traits
  • Context and Personality
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD)
  • Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

Abnormal Psychology Module 8
Feeding, Substance, and Addictive Disorders 

  • Symptoms of Anorexia
  • Symptoms of Bulimia
  • Symptoms of Addiction
  • Alcohol, Tobacco, and Psychomotor Stimulants
  • Impact of Other Drugs on Human Physiology and Behavior
  • Diagnosis of Substance Use Disorders
  • Causes of Substance Disorders
  • Gambling Disorder

Abnormal Psychology Module 9
Paraphilic and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders 

  • Human Sexual Response Cycle
  • Origins of Sexual Dysfunction
  • Paraphilic Disorders
  • Gender Dysphoria
  • Symptoms and Diagnosis of Schizophrenia
  • Treatment of Schizophrenia

Abnormal Psychology Module 10
Neurocognitive and Intellectual Disorders 

  • Symptoms of Neurocognitive Disorders
  • Diagnosis of Neurocognitive Disorders
  • Frequency of Delirium
  • Prevalence of Dementia
  • Measuring Intelligence
  • Causes of Intellectual Disabilities
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abnormal Psychology Module 11
Psychological Disorders of Childhood

  • Externalizing Disorders
  • Causes of Externalizing Disorders
  • Treatment of Externalizing Disorders
  • Internalizing and Other Disorders
  • Causes and Treatment of Internalizing Disorders

Abnormal Psychology Module 12
Adjustment Disorders and Life-Cycle Transitions 

  • Symptoms and Diagnosis of Adjustment Disorders
  • The Transition to Adulthood
  • Family Transitions
  • The Transition to Later Life

Abnormal Psychology Module 13
Mental Health and the Law

  • Conflicts
  • Mental Illness and Criminal Responsibility
  • Civil Commitment
  • Committed Patients’ Rights
  • Mental Health and Family Law
  • Professional Responsibilities and the Law

**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**

Ed4Career is committed to being both environmentally conscious and making it easier for you to study! We’re making your education mobile! All of our textbooks are now provided as eTextbooks*. You can access them on your laptop, tablet, or mobile device and can study anytime, anywhere.

The move away from physical books to eTextbooks means you get the latest, most up-to-date version available. This also makes your training more accessible, so you can study anywhere you have your phone or tablet. The best part is that all materials are included in your training cost so there are NO extra fees for books!**

*A few courses still have physical materials.
 

Mental Health Technician

Upon successful completion of our Mental Health Technician course, students will be prepared for an entry-level position in a mental health setting and will be prepared to sit for the NCCB national certification exam to become a Certified Mental Health Technician (CMHT).

** Certification exams are not included in the cost of the course.**

Internet Connection

  • Broadband or High-Speed - DSL, Cable, and Wireless Connections

*Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Classroom pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware Requirements

  • Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher
  • Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended

 

PC Software Requirements

  • Operating Systems - Windows 7 or higher
  • Microsoft Office 2013 or higher. Also, you could use a general Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
  • Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended
    • Cookies MUST be enabled
    • Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
  • The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
  • PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
  • Adobe PDF Reader
  • QuickTime, Windows Media Player &/or Real Player

 

MAC Software Requirements

  • Operating Systems - Mac OS x 10 or higher with Windows
  • Mac office programs or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
  • Internet Browsers- Google Chrome is highly recommended
    • Cookies MUST be enabled
    • Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
  • The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
  • PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
  • Adobe PDF Reader
  • Apple QuickTime Media Player

 


Click on the school name below for purchasing info:

900 West Orman Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81004
United States
Phone: 727-824-7800 ext. 8

This course is also available at the following school:

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