Graduation Day - Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program

Today's guest post is from Christine Tam, Coordinator of the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program being offered by RAMS and San Francisco State University. Started in Fall 2010, the Certificate Program's goal is "to prepare consumers and/or family members with the basic skills & knowledge for entry-level employment in the behavioral health system of care and with academic/career planning that supports success in institutions of higher learning". 

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 The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is excited to announce the successful completion of the Spring 2011 Cohort!  Twelve graduates proudly marched to the music of Pomp and Circumstance on Thursday, May 26^th at the graduation ceremony held at the San Francisco State University Downtown Campus.  Over fifty guests, including friends and family of the graduates, guest instructors of the course, and members from the behavioral health community, attended the graduation ceremony to celebrate this momentous event.

The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program, a collaboration between RAMS, inc. and San Francisco State University’s Department of Counseling, offers a university level course that prepares individuals to enter into the field of community behavioral health as direct service providers. 

For twelve weeks, each graduate devoted eight hours each week to attend lectures on topics related to developing counseling skills in working with individuals with a mental health diagnoses and/or substance abuse issues.  In addition to the in-class lectures, students spent hours outside of the classroom to review lecture materials, complete reading assignments, and work on class projects.  Students’ understanding of the materials was rigorously tested throughout the course through quizzes, exams, written assignments, and in-class presentations.  The twelve graduates from this cohort committed a tremendous amount of hard work over these weeks, many of whom exceeded the expectations and demands of the course. 

Robert Williams, PhD, Department of Counseling Chair at SFSU, addresses the Graduates and their guests at the Graduation Ceremony.

At this time, our spring graduates are actively seeking employment and volunteer opportunities to utilize the knowledge and skills they have learned from the course.  In fact, one graduate has already been offered a full-time position as a Peer Counselor at an agency in the East Bay! 

Congratulations Spring 2011 Cohort!  We look forward to hearing more of your future successes and the many ways you will be contributing to the communities across the San Francisco Bay Area. 

The next cohort for the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program will begin in September of 2011.  Applications will be accepted starting July of 2011.  Please contact Program Coordinator, Christine Tam at (415) 668 – 5955 x386 or christinehtam@ramsinc.org for additional details.