Next semester, students at Oklahoma City Community College will be able to get an associate degree in Applied Science in Behavioral Health Sciences.
It’s the first degree of its kind in Oklahoma and is designed to prepare students for jobs at places like behavioral health agencies, community organizations, hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
Jennifer Allen is the chair of the psychology department and a professor at OCCC, where she has been teaching for the last 14 years. Allen said she hopes the new degree program will help address Oklahoma’s behavioral health workforce shortage.
All of Oklahoma’s 77 counties are designated as mental health professional shortage areas, 63 of which are whole-county shortage areas and 14 of which are partial-county shortage areas. The state also ranks among the top in the nation for the prevalence of serious mental illness and substance use disorders.
Allen brought her idea for the new program to the dean about a year ago and has worked to get it off the ground since.
She said she realized the focus at the state legislature for a “direct to workforce need” could be addressed by her department.
“Most people think with psychology that, you know, you need a bachelor's or a master's degree to practice in the field, but there are some non-clinical career opportunities,” Allen said.
Students getting an Associate degree in Applied Science in Behavioral Health Sciences will learn about human behavior and gain case management skills.
“What we're really trying to do is to give them the theoretical knowledge and the background, but also those everyday, practical skills that they're going to need,” she said. “So critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, communication skills.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of community health workers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2023 to 2033 — much faster than the average for all occupations.
While the program is set up to prepare students to enter the workforce, Allen said it also can be used as a jumping-off point for more schooling.
“It's designed that they can transfer into a four year university [and] they won't lose any of those credits,” Allen said. “They could actually be in the field, working, and attending to get their bachelor's degree at the same time.”
The program is online and available to students statewide.
“Students from across the state could take our classes and be ready to enter the workforce wherever they're currently living,” Allen said.
She said OCCC has been extremely supportive of the program’s development, and its staff, made up of both full-time and adjunct faculty, has been established.
The degree program will collaborate with community organizations to formalize pathways for internships and practical experience. Allen said she hopes more local nonprofits will partner with the college.
“I'm just really super excited about getting this launched and on the ground and just seeing how we can help our communities,” she said.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
