Human Services - HUMS.AAS
Human Services Generalist - HUMS/GEN.CP
Clinical Helping Skills - HUMS/CLN.CC

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Program Coordinator Chad Keller

Human Services prepares students in gaining the knowledge, skills, and field experiences necessary to support people in meeting their emotional and physical needs, as they cope with life change and stressors. Students of the program are prepared to work with a broad range of people in the areas of intellectual and developmental disabilities, addictions and recovery, housing and food insecurity, domestic violence, family and youth services, elder care, community advocacy, and mental health. In addition to completing general education courses, students complete courses that help them understand the scope of the human services field, ethical principles, the diverse make-up and needs of those seeking services, and theories of human growth and change. This coursework is then combined with curriculum that builds students’ skills and confidence in clinical assessment, interviewing, and intervention. Before earning their degrees, students complete two semesters of fieldwork in area human service agencies, which results in them seeing firsthand what it means to be a human service professional. The curriculum is designed not only to prepare students for employment after graduation, but also can be completed by those students intending to transfer to four-year colleges and universities, who have an interest in social work, psychology, counseling, or sociology.

Program Learning Objectives

1. Summarize the different tasks and responsibilities of a human service professional
2. Develop foundational clinical skills in listening, assessing, communicating, intervening, and documenting
3. Explain the ethical standards of human service professionals
4. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior when working with clients, community members, and colleagues
5. Describe how biological, psychological, and social factors influence people’s mental and physical health and apply these factors when planning services and implementing interventions
6. Select culturally affirming interventions that reflect the identities, experiences, needs, and wishes of those they are working with
7. Develop further awareness of one’s self, including how one’s values, lived experiences, and personal traits support and impede one’s work in being a culturally affirming and ethical human service professional

Nature of Work: The Human Services curriculum prepares students to work with a broad range of people in the areas of intellectual and developmental disabilities, addictions and recovery, housing and food insecurity, domestic violence, family and youth services, elder care, community advocacy, and mental health.

Skills and Abilities: To be effective in these positions, skills in relationship building, interpersonal communication, critical thinking, problem solving, case management, documentation, cultural competence, and ethical reasoning are needed.

Human Services - HUMS.AAS

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Associate in Applied Science Degree

 

Human Services Generalist - HUMS/GEN.CP

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Certificate of Proficiency

 

Clinical Helping Skills - HUMS/CLN.CC

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Certificate of Completion