The University of Maine at Augusta is pleased to announce that the mental health and human services bachelor’s degree program received national accreditation from the Council for Standards in Human Services Education (CSHSE). This accreditation is the culmination of a three-year process, including a self-study and written report by the faculty of the academic program and a virtual site visit in October by the CSHSE Site Review Team, leading to a final determination of a five-year accreditation.
“We are very pleased to receive this accreditation,” said Wendy St. Pierre, UMA assistant professor of mental health & human services and academic program coordinator. “This was truly a collaborative process involving MHHS faculty, current students and program graduates, as well as community mental health providers who work closely with our students. These efforts were fully supported by UMA leadership and concluded with a successful virtual site visit aided by our Library Services and Faculty Development Center staff.”
“My thanks and congratulations to the MHHS accreditation committee for all its efforts in making this a reality,” stated UMA President Rebecca Wyke. “This has been a noteworthy year for the Mental Health and Human Services program with this CSHSE accreditation of the bachelor’s degree and the launch of the Graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorders earlier this spring.”
UMA’s Mental Health and Human Services Bachelor of Science degree program allows students to specialize in a variety of areas and to build a curriculum that meets their individual needs and career goals. Four different concentrations provide avenues for career and professional development: Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation, Addictions Counseling, Child and Family Services, and Mental Health and Human Services Generalist.
This accreditation comes on the heels of the MHHS program’s announcement this spring of its new Graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorders that enrolled 19 students in the fall.