Stockton, CA - In a move aimed at bolstering mental health services in San Joaquin County, the University of the Pacific has introduced a groundbreaking Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a focus on marriage and family therapy. The program, set to commence in the fall, seeks to address the acute shortage of mental health practitioners in the region, particularly in the field of marriage and family therapy.
Professor Justin Low, a key figure behind the initiative, highlighted the pressing need for such services in San Joaquin County. According to Low, the county faces one of the lowest practitioners-to-client ratios in the state, indicating a significant gap in resources and personnel. This shortage is attributed to various factors such as burnout, pay levels, and the overall cost of living, according to a report by CalMatters.
The Master's program, consisting of 60 units, requires students to invest a minimum of two years in the graduate program, during which they will gain professionally supervised experience. The university has also strategically partnered with external health organizations to enhance job opportunities for graduates, aiming to counter the issues that contribute to the shortage of mental health workers.
Low emphasized the importance of having locally trained professionals who can relate to and understand the community they serve. He stated, "Clients want to see a mental health practitioner that can relate to them, that looks like them, that are from the same places that they’re from, and have experienced the same life experiences."
The goal of the program is to produce graduates who will become working professionals within San Joaquin County, catering to the unique needs of the community. The program is set to begin with an initial cohort of 15 to 20 students next fall.
San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services department expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, indicating plans to provide fieldwork opportunities for students and potential job placements for program graduates. This collaborative effort between the University of the Pacific and local health services aligns with a broader mission to address the mental health crisis in the region and provide much-needed support to individuals, families, and couples in San Joaquin County.
