Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision
Document Type
Article
Keywords
professional counselor, interprofessional education, professional identity, professional competencies, behavioral health workforce development
Subject Area
Clinical Supervision, Mental Health Counseling
Abstract
Behavioral health reform in the U.S. recommends interprofessional education and practice grounded in clinical training in competencies relevant to practice. In tandem, counselor education requires training to learn roles and responsibilities as members of interdisciplinary teams. This pilot explored participants’ (N=19) understanding of professional identities and competencies among clinical mental health counseling (CMHC), marriage & family therapy (MFT), psychiatric mental health nursing (PMHNP) and social work (MSW) students in an interprofessional education (IPE) program. Participants identified unique profiles of each of the four behavioral health disciplines that align with professions’ histories and theoretical orientations as well as a common profile of overlapping skills and knowledge domains across disciplines. The common domains such as assessment, individual intervention, evidence-based practice, and strong oral communication skills, align with overlapping accreditation competencies. Greater common profiling was seen for CMHC, MFT, & MSW versus PMHNP. Our findings indicate implications for counselor education and supervision, and directions for future research.
Recommended Citation
Berrett-Abebe, J., Novella, J. K., & Perera, D. M. (2023). Shared and Unique Competencies in Interprofessional Behavioral Health: Implications for Counselor Education. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 17(5). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/jcps/vol17/iss5/5