Our 60-credit, CACREP-accredited MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program prepares aspiring counselors for a highly rewarding career helping clients and families. In this NYC-based graduate program, you'll learn the counseling theory and clinical training you need to become a licensed professional counselor. Taught by clinically active faculty, you'll benefit from their experience and expertise.
As a mental health counselor, you will provide sensitive and structured support to individuals, families, and groups. You will play a crucial role in helping your clients work through mental health challenges, improve wellness, and move towards career goals. A clinical mental health counseling degree will prepare you for licensure and to make a lasting impact in the field.
Licensure and Certification
The CACREP-accredited CMHC program is registered with the New York State Education Department (NYSED), meeting the educational standards required for licensure in New York State. The coursework in our program includes the 350-hour educational requirements needed to apply for the CASAC-Trainee certificate. Graduates of the program are also eligible to apply to become a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC's) upon graduation and the passing of either the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) or the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Further information about the NCC credential as well as licensure information for other States may be found on the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) website.
What Can I Do with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling?
After becoming a licensed mental health counselor, you can work in hospitals, schools, mental health centers, government agencies, and even open your own private practice. In NYC, the average salary for a licensed mental health counselor is around $80,000 (Salary.com).
Other career options include specializing in substance misuse, crisis, group, career, and couples and family counseling. Licensed Mental Health Counselors work with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and age groups.
If you decide to work outside of New York, you’ll also be eligible to apply for licensure in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Fieldwork to Full-Time Job
We have a designated fieldwork coordinator, great affiliations, and many of our students are hired after graduation by their fieldwork site.
Manhattan & Brooklyn Classes
Our primary campus is in Manhattan, with select classes in Brooklyn. At these two NYC locations we offer culturally sensitive classroom settings for diverse students.
Scholarships
Looking at a combination of merit and need, we offer a limited number of scholarships to qualifying students.
Mental Health Counseling Vs. Social Work
Mental Health Counselors and Social Workers help people deal and cope with problems in their lives. So which degree is right for you? Mental Health Counselors are focused on counseling individuals and families, address a specific problem, and offer crisis management techniques. A social work degree addresses a wider range of services, working with organizations and communities, and includes advocacy, policy and access to social services. If you know you're interested solely in counseling, a mental health counseling degree is the most direct path.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Admissions
Our Mental Health Counseling program offers rolling admissions with a fall admit; we accept students until the class is full. We encourage applicants who are currently employed or have some clinical experience in counseling or a related field. While it is encouraged, prior clinical experience is not required for acceptance.
To apply, you’ll need a minimum of 12 semester hours of psychology courses or related social science courses AND a course in statistics, as well as a 3.0 GPA. The GRE is not required, but can be submitted as supporting material to your application. Visit our admissions page for more information or to apply.
How We Train Clinical Counselors
DESCRIPTION: Text, Faye Walkenfeld, Ph.D., Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Behavioral Science
Faye Walkenfeld: The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Touro is a very strong program in terms of giving our students the skills they need to be the best clinicians they can be.
DESCRIPTION: Gold brain stress ball on desk next to notebook that has the Touro Logo with text saying “Clinical Mental Health Counseling.”
DESCRIPTION: Text, Lindsey Grossman, Ph.D., Program Director and Assistant Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Lindsey Grossman: Built into the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Touro University. We have a three semester sequence, where our students have field placements out in the community.
DESCRIPTION: Four students working around a small table while one student has a book open, close up of two students - one of them is smiling while they look at two other students, closeup on laptop screen on Touro University's Website dashboard which shows different applications such as calendar, groups, inbox, accounts etc, group of student sitting and talking in room with tables and couches.
Faye Walkenfeld: This means that all of our students in the program end up with internship placements.
Lindsey Grossman: We also have a really high retention rate for our interns, who choose to stay and be gainfully employed by the clinical sites that supervise them in their internship.
DESCRIPTION: Students and Woman Professor talking to students in science room while looking at textbook and notes, close up on printed page reading “Quick Study: PSYCHOLOGY Counseling & Psychotherapy”, Close up of student Adam Bugay talking to his classmates with backpack and plan behind him.
DESCRIPTION: Text, Adam Bugay, MS Class of '24.
Adam Bugay: I think the uniqueness about the clinical mental health counseling program at university is its focus on the therapeutic relationship.
Faye Walkenfeld: We have a very, very strong, supportive staff.
DESCRIPTION: Large group of staff including Lindsey Grossman talking in room with note pads.
Lindsey Grossman: And so to have all four of our faculty identify as counselors. We're really connected, not just at Touro, but to the field. They're in a supervision group with their peers where they're processing every week the work that they're doing and also the professional development that they're experiencing because they're really in the process of becoming mental health counselors. All of our classes take place at night.
DESCRIPTION: closeup of notepad with writing on it, close up on man and women professors looking at other professors in room, staff in room talking with note pads in a circle, close up of male professor using his hands while he speaks, Girl student looking at group and smiles, woman talking and using hand gestures when speaking to professor Faye Walkenfeld, closeup on professor in a blue sweater talking, closeup of woman holding notepad with pen on top but not writing anything down.
Adam Bugay: Which allows individuals to work during the day.
DESCRIPTION: Text, Ilyssa Guerra, MS Class of ‘24.
Ilyssa Guerra: Oh, I could have, you know, a work life or even a personal life on top of my school life.
DESCRIPTION: Touro University door with logo.
Lindsey Grossman: One of the most exciting things that's happened is we did our own CACREP accreditation. It's the gold standard in accreditation for counseling programs. Some states even require graduation from a CACREP program to get licensed at all. For any student who wants to start helping people with a community of peers who are going to support you along the way, and faculty who are deeply invested in your professional development.
DESCRIPTION: Main Touro University building in Times Square with Touro logo on glass windows at night with light from inside of building illuminating the logo, students and professors around table talking with notepads and laptops, Student showing professor a piece of paper about First Aid Techniques, group of students and professor talking about first aid with papers on table, Professor in front of projector screen talking and moving hands, male student working on laptop while looking up at teacher speaking, professor standing facing the class of students at desks taking notes and listening to her, close up of projector screen on topics such as (Strengths based, Diagnosis free, Outreach oriented, culturally sensitive, Flexible, Capacity Building), Female student smiling at teacher while she is at her desk.
Lindsey Grossman: The clinical Metabolic Counseling Program at Touro is for you.
DESCRIPTION: Female student smiling at teacher while she is at her desk.
Text, School of Health Sciences - Touro University + Visual of Touro Logo (blue and yellow)
Mission Statement
The mission of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Program of Touro University is to guide our students to develop into ethical and competent clinical mental health counselors, who strive to provide individual, group, family and marriage counseling services that empower change in client mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. The program integrates theoretical knowledge with practical counseling experiences that promote the development of the professional counseling skills needed to practice successfully in the field. Graduates of the program fully identify with the clinical mental health counseling profession and are well-prepared to function as mental health professionals in multiple roles including treatment, assessment, advocacy, and consultative modalities with populations and across a wide range of mental health concerns. The goal is to strive for excellence in faculty and graduates who contribute to the counseling profession and the promotion of wellness and mental health.
Accreditation
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
500 Montgomery Street, Suite 350
Alexandria, VA 22314
P: (703) 535-5990
https://www.cacrep.org
