By Anna R. Buehrer, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Methodist College
The Methodist College Behavioral Health concentration, an option for the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree program, was developed in response to the growing need for competent direct service providers in behavioral healthcare. The U.S. Department of Labor occupational handbook states that careers in mental and behavioral health have experienced an average 20 percent increase.
Methodist College, an affiliate of UnityPoint Health—Peoria, works collaboratively with medical providers to assess the healthcare employment needs. As a result, since becoming established as a college in 2000, Methodist College has expanded its educational offerings beyond a bachelor’s degree in nursing to include a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree with concentration options in behavioral health and healthcare management and a certificate in gerontology. In addition, the college now offers a Master of Science in Nursing—Nurse Educator.
The goal of the behavioral health option is to provide the skills and knowledge students will need to pursue a professional career involving case management, counseling, psychosocial rehabilitation, health coaching, crisis stabilization, and other services. Graduates of the program will be able to work in primary acute care and/or restorative or rehabilitation facilities in a variety of community agencies and healthcare institutions. Students will learn to promote the holistic care of patients ranging from adolescents to older adults. In addition, students will be equipped to manage the assessment and treatment of patients in a variety of settings, from initial screenings through professional counseling.
Graduates focusing on behavioral health will have the skills to provide foundational counseling to clients in a supervised clinical setting that could include acute care, rehabilitation, or health coaching. The behavioral health concentration in the health sciences program at Methodist College is one of the most comprehensive programs in downstate Illinois. According to college representatives, the program will prepare students to provide care to a diverse array of patients in a variety of settings for a range of specialty treatment areas.
“Our program also offers a built-in practicum, which allows students to gain valuable field experience before they graduate,” said Dr. Deborah Garrison, Methodist College Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Throughout the practicum, students will act as a contributing member of a functional healthcare team, allowing them to transition seamlessly to a career after graduation.”
The addition of the degree options in health sciences is only the beginning of an expansion by Methodist College to offer other educational opportunities besides nursing. The programs will meet the educational needs of individuals who want to work in healthcare but may not want to be nurses.
The college faculty and administration have developed a Bachelor in Social Work program that is planned to be offered in 2017. Other newly offered educational programs may include graduate programs, such as physician’s assistant and executive nurse leadership, and certification programs, such as nursing assistant and medical office assistant, which will have established pathways to the bachelor’s degree in a related field.
“Methodist College is committed to providing premier health profession education in areas of need across the Midwest regions,” added Garrison.
The move to a new campus in July 2016 will allow the college to offer not only degree programs but also expanded continuing education opportunities for working healthcare professionals and the community at large.
The new Methodist College campus is presently under construction at the site of the former American Appliance and Electronics retail store at the new address, 7600 N. Academic Dr. (formerly 5801 W. War Memorial Dr.). The campus will encompass a total of 13 acres, which will include the academic building and the first of five planned apartment-style student housing buildings along with plenty of room for future growth. The new campus will be ready for the start of the new semester in August 2016.
For more information about the Bachelor of Science in Health Science—Behavioral Health, visit www.methodistcol.edu, or call 309-672-5513 to speak with a recruitment and advisement coordinator.
Photo courtesy of Methodist College