Behavioral Health Support Specialist Program

This three-session seminar is designed for trainees returning to school after a long gap, who may require additional skills to maximize their continuing education experience. The course will help students make the transition to college-level instruction.

Academic Credits: 0.45 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Instruction Method: Remote
Duration: 3 meetings (1.5 hours per meeting)

This course provides an overview of health care and behavioral health systems. Trainees will study how these systems affect the LGBTQ+ community and individuals from diverse backgrounds. Topics include: behavioral health care reform, system components, health care payment structures, health care delivery, consumer and provider perspectives, and emerging behavioral health care issues in the 21st century.

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

To function effectively in dynamic and complex health care system, behavioral health paraprofessionals need an understanding of laws, regulations, and ethical issues involving the rights and responsibilities of patients, families, and providers. Taught by experts in health law, this course presents the fundamental legal structure affecting health care in the U.S. The course also provides an overview of the ethical and moral questions regarding behavioral health treatment. 

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

This course reviews human sexuality with a strong focus on the LGBTQ+ community, psychosocial aspects of human sexuality, and its impact on individuals and society. Trainees will develop skills and knowledge around sexual and relationship decision-making and behavior. The broader goals include increased understanding of the biological, developmental, and scientific aspects of human sexuality, and developing a greater awareness of self and others. This course also explores aspects and current trends in preventing and treating such diseases as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis A, B, and C, and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

This course explores the fundamentals of cultural competency and client intersectionality, including the cultural impacts of race, nationality, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, and socioeconomic status on identity development, behavioral health access, and treatment. Trainees will examine commonly encountered cultural obstacles to behavioral health services. 

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

This course provides the foundational knowledge and skills needed to support integrated behavioral health teams. Instruction covers the professional scope of practice, role delineation, and job functions. Trainees also learn how to work with clients from the LGBTQ+ community across life stages – from youth to adolescence to senior – and assess their cultural competency to communicate effectively with patients from a variety of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

This course provides students with a basic level of understanding of  addiction from a historical, cultural, psychological, and  neurobiological perspective. This course examines alcohol and other drug  dependencies through a multidisciplinary approach with lectures,  discussions, film, exercises, and readings. To understand its  complicated nature as a disease, the course focuses on different  substances of abuse and the current genetic and environmental research  in the development of substance use disorders. Specific topics to be  covered include the biological, developmental, psychological,  environmental, and social factors that lead to vulnerability to  addictions; symptoms of addictive disorders; prevalence across the life  span among target populations, including adolescents, seniors, families,  and those with trauma exposure; and various treatment approaches,  including both behavioral and medication-assisted intervention  strategies.

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

High-quality communication between behavioral health care providers, patients, and families has been shown to positively influence client outcomes. Conversely, failures in communication lead to increased client harm, length of hospital stays, resource utilization, caregiver dissatisfaction, and staff turnover. Given the critical role of communication, this course provides evidence-based strategies to optimize communication for professionals working in health care. 

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Online
Duration: 11 weeks

The Supervised Field Work Practicum, extending over two quarters, is designed for trainees who have completed the Behavioral Health Support Specialist Training Program's didactic courses. Trainees must complete a minimum of 260 hours of fieldwork with UCLA Extension's collaborating community-based organizations. They’re also required to attend roundtable meetings with their academic internship supervisors to attain completion requirements.

Academic Credits: 5.5 units
Instruction Method:
Class meetings: Remote
Internship: In-Person
Duration: 10 weeks (3 hours per week); 260 Internship Hours

The Supervised Field Work Practicum, extending over two quarters, is designed for trainees who have completed the Behavioral Health Support Specialist Training Program's didactic courses. Trainees must complete a minimum of 260 hours of fieldwork with UCLA Extension's collaborating community-based organizations. They’re also required to attend roundtable meetings with their academic internship supervisors to attain completion requirements.

Instruction Method:
Class meetings: Remote
Internship: In-Person
Duration: 8 weeks (2 hours per week); 260 Internship Hours

The program culminates in a capstone project course synthesizing the coursework and experiential learning components of the program while encouraging reflection on the program and future careers in behavioral health care. By completing the capstone project, trainees will demonstrate their readiness to enter the behavioral health field as paraprofessionals through the mastery of the program’s learning objectives and outcomes.

Academic Credits: 4 units
Instruction Method: Remote
Duration: 11 weeks (3 hours per week)

Application requirements:

• Resume
• Transcripts or educational history
• Statement of intent
• Two letters of recommendation 

The applicant’s statement of intent should include professional goals, applicable skills, and experiences. It should highlight reasons and motivation for working with the LGBTQ+ population and other underserved communities.

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. One letter should be from a behavioral health professional or a supervisor (current or past) who can attest to your professional accomplishments or your potential in the field. 

The admission committee will review submitted applications using an admission rubric. If denied, applicants can appeal the decision by submitting an appeal letter including any circumstances or factors not discussed in their application. The program director will review the applicant’s case and make the final decision.

To start your application, click 'Apply Now' below.