Mental Health Concentration | Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis
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Mental Health Concentration

This concentration prepares students with evidence-based assessment and treatment methods aimed at increasing functional capacity of individuals and systems addressing mental illness.

Students develop competencies for engaging, assessing, and intervening with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Primarily focused on developing clinical social work competencies, our students also leave the program equipped to lead policy and systems level changes necessary to cultivate equitable mental health systems and services. Students explore both dominant and critical theoretical and practice-oriented content in order to advance the accessibility of effective care and recovery-oriented interventions. 

Working adults who need flexible scheduling may decide to pursue a Part-Time MSW with this concentration. Learn more about the curriculum structure and application process.

Alumni work in a wide range of settings, including community mental health centers; hospitals; private practice; and forensic, policy and research settings.

The Mental Health concentration has four tracks:

  • Clinical Social Work: for students who plan to work with older adolescents or adults experiencing mental health conditions through a direct practice lens.
  • Child Behavioral Health: for students who plan to work with children experiencing mental health conditions through a direct practice lens.
  • Integrated Behavioral Health: for students who plan to work in an integrated health setting or for students who want to provide behavioral health services in a clinical practice; students prepare to work with people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness and serious medical health issues.
  • Clinical Social Work in Substance Use Disorder Treatment: for students who plan to work with older adolescents or adults experiencing substance use disorders; graduates are able to earn certification for the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP).
Curriculum requirements for each track are detailed below.

Concentration Requirements: 21 Credits

  • Contemporary Theories and Issues in Behavioral Health OR Theory and Empirical Bases for Practice with Children, Youth, and Families (3 credits)
  • Behavioral Health Policies and Services (3 credits)
  • Leadership and Management of Organizations OR Human Service Organizations: Theory, Concepts, Issues (3 credits)
  • Social Policy Analysis and Evaluation OR Evaluation of Programs and Services (3 credits)
  • Three practice courses (3 credits each; 9 credits total)

The specific theory and practice courses you choose will be determined by the Mental Health track you pursue, see below:

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK

  • Principles and Practices in Differential Diagnosis
  • Principles of Clinical Interventions in Behavioral Health
  • Principles, Practices, and Services in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

CHILD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

  • Principles and Practices in Differential Diagnosis
  • Social Work Practice with Youth in Families OR Social Work Practice with Children in Families OR Social Work Practice in Early Childhood
  • Contemporary Family Therapy OR Core Concepts in Trauma Treatment with Children and Adolescents

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT

  • Principles and Practices of Differential Diagnosis
  • Principles of Clinical Interventions in Behavioral Health
  • Principles, Practices, and Services in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

This track requires that Foundation Practicum (360 hours), Concentration Practicum (600 hours), and one elective practicum credit (120 hours) are completed in an approved substance use disorder setting. This requirement is necessary for earning NCC AP credentials.

INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

  • Principles and Practices in Differential Diagnosis
  • Principles, Practices, and Services in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
  • Interventions and Services in Integrated Behavioral Health Settings

You will also have 9 elective credits, which can be used to broaden your expertise in other areas or to pursue additional mental health-related electives, such as:

  • Cognitive Behavior Therapy (3 credits)
  • Pharmacology for Social Workers (3 credits)
  • Contemporary Family Therapy (3 credits)

Concentration Practicum

The MSW program requires 600 hours of concentration practicum (in addition to 360 hours of foundation practicum). The concentration practicum must take place in a setting focused on mental health practice, management or advocacy. Sample Mental Health practicum sites include:

  • BJC Behavioral Health (community mental health center)
  • Children’s Advocacy Center of St. Louis (trauma-focused treatments)
  • Family Care Health Centers (integrated behavioral health)
  • Great Circle (non-profit with a mission of child-welfare and behavioral health)
  • Independence Center (severe and persistent mental health)
  • Missouri Institutes for Health (policy, advocacy, evaluation)
  • St. Louis Center for Family Development (trauma and suicidality)
  • St. Louis Veteran’s Affairs (veteran focused services)
Ryan Lindsay

Concentration Chair

Ryan Lindsay is an associate professor of practice at the Brown School, where he also serves as the chair of the Mental Health concentration. A leader in clinical treatment of mental illness, Lindsay's academic and practice interests center around improving access to trauma-informed and evidence-based mental health services.

Julie Blatz

Featured Graduate

“My passion is increasing access to mental health services. The most valuable part of my educational experience at the Brown School was the flexibility to personalize my curriculum. I was able to take classes that catered to my clinical focus, but that also gave me insight into policy and community organizing. I know that will be critical as I get further into my career.”



—Julie Blatz, MSW ’13, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy