Certificate in Public Mental Health

Upon completion of the certificate, the graduate will be able to:

• Describe the epidemiologic burden of mental illness on US and global populations.
• Describe the major theories on the etiology of mental illness or categories of mental illness.
• Evaluate empirical evidence on social determinants of mental illnesses or categories of mental illness.
• Describe how cultural differences affect the experience of mental illness and the seeking of health services.
• Identify population-based interventions that would reduce the onset of mental illnesses or categories of mental illness.
• Describe how populations in the US receive and finance mental health services.
• Identify policy initiatives that would improve access to mental health services in the U.S.
• Identify gaps in coverage for mental health services in the US and global settings and their consequences for mental health.

• Prerequisite: BSHES 585 Introduction to Public Mental Health, 1 credit hour
• BSHES 592/HPM 592, Case Studies in Public Mental Health, 2 credit hours
• This is a required course for all MPH or MSPH students enrolled at Rollins who plan to pursue the Certificate in Mental Health. Participating certificate students will be identified based on their enrollment in this course. Students in the course will work in interdisciplinary teams to examine and provide solutions to real-life public mental health problems while interacting with experts from the field.
• Applied Practice Experience (a minimum of 200 hours) must comprise elements of public mental health.
• Thesis or capstone project (Integrative Learning Experience) on topic in public mental health*
• A minimum of 5 credit hours from the following courses or courses approved by Dr. Benjamin Druss or Dr. Delia Lang:
  • BSHES 565 Violence as a Public Health Problem, 2 credit hours.
  • BSHES 583 Mindfulness and Health, 1 credit hour.
  • BSHES 586 Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders, 2 credit hours
  • EH 580 Injury Prevention and Control, 2 credit hours
  • EPI 589 Psychosocial EPI, 2 credits hours
  • HPM 563 Long Term Care Policy and Practice, 2 credit hours
  • HPM 577 Mental Health/Medical Interface, 2 credit hours
  • SOC 513, Perspectives on Mental Health, 2 credit hours
  • Any 500 level or above Psychology classes.

*If the topic of the capstone or thesis cannot relate to public mental health, four additional credits of elective courses with a focus on mental health may be substituted with the permission of the certificate coordinator. Permission for the substitution must be obtained early in the second year of the program. For more: https://www.sph.emory.edu/academics/certificates/certificate-mh/index.html.