Mercer Times

The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) has initiated a new online Master of Arts program in clinical mental health counseling, aimed at increasing diversity within the mental health workforce. This initiative is supported by a $3 million grant from The Tepper Foundation and an additional $1.25 million grant from Accelerate the Future.

The program targets individuals with bachelor's degrees, focusing on recruiting paraprofessionals in mental health, especially those from underrepresented communities in New Jersey's designated shortage areas for mental health professionals.

Sandy Gibson, the program coordinator and professor of online counselor education at TCNJ, emphasized the mission to provide high-quality education based on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles. "We believe we can provide a national model for institutions to deliver counselor preparation in an accessible, affordable, exceptional, and flexible manner," she stated.

Randi Tepper, CEO of The Tepper Foundation, highlighted the importance of investing in a capable mental healthcare workforce. "At The Tepper Foundation," she said, "we collaborate with organizations who are working on the frontlines of this issue to meet this growing need."

Ross Lohr from Accelerate The Future expressed support for TCNJ’s efforts: “We’re not going to address critical shortages of mental health clinicians without some really innovative new programs.”

The program offers two tracks: a generalist practice track with customizable electives and an addiction counseling track focused on harm reduction strategies. Partnerships with community agencies aim to support paraprofessional staff in securing their degrees while working full-time through tuition support or allowing course attendance during work hours.

Gibson noted that students could complete their MA in counseling within two years due to the unique academic calendar structure. The curriculum includes three 15-week terms per year divided into seven-week sessions. Cutting-edge technology will be used throughout the program for interactive learning experiences.

Tuition will be discounted for all students enrolled in the program. Additional reductions are available for paraprofessionals working in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) and graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

An Open House information session is scheduled for July 11th from 6:30-7:30 pm for interested parties to learn more about the program.