Online Mental Health and Trauma Pathway

Redefine what it means to live with mental illness, addiction and/or trauma. Become a social work leader prepared to practice in a variety of settings that support mental wellness and recovery by earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) online with a pathway in Mental Health and Trauma. 

As a student in the MSW@Denver program, you will learn theory and develop skills to support clinical decision-making processes that are anti oppressive and trauma informed. This includes curriculum specific to differential diagnosis and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that challenges pathology by reframing “symptoms” as responses. 

Why Mental Health and Trauma Focus?  

Mental health, substance use and trauma are public health concerns that intersect and have no boundaries regarding age, gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or ability. These concerns must be addressed both locally and globally to improve access to behavioral health care that is equitable, inclusive and effective.

Social workers empower individuals, families and communities impacted and marginalized by mental illness, addiction and/or trauma. They examine and challenge the systems that may lead to disparities in treatment and provide a bridge to necessary resources and services to promote dignity and respect in the healing and recovery process. 

Mental Health and Trauma Pathway Course Options  

Courses in the Mental Health and Trauma Pathway focus on mental health and culturally responsive practices:

  • Intersections of Mental Health, Substance
    Use and Trauma
  • Assessment of Mental Health Across
    the Lifespan
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapies
  • Mental Health and Health Care Policy
  • Methods for Evaluating Practice/Programs
  • Leadership and Supervision Skills
  • Applied Practice Evaluation Research
  • Trauma-Informed Assessment and Intervention
  • Integrated Health Care: Models and Practice
  • Disproportionality and Disparity Across Systems
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Sample Mental Health & Trauma Pathway, with a Substance Use & Addictions Focus 

Sample Job titles may include: Case Manager, Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Therapist, Clinician, Counselor, Mental Health Therapist, Social Worker, Behavioral Health Therapist

Required Theory  
SOWK 4345: Intersections of MH, Substance Use, & Trauma  

Required Assessment Skills  
SOWK 4338: Assessment of MH Across the Lifespan  

Required Ethics, Safety, & Supervisory Skills  
SOWK 4752: Trauma Informed Assessment & Interventions **taken as elective  
SOWK 4784: Suicide Assessment & Interventions  

Required Intervention Skills  
SOWK 4401: Integrated Health Care **taken as elective  
SOWK 4430: Substance Use Interventions  
SOWK 4700: Solution Focused Brief Therapy **taken as elective  

Required Policy & Advocacy Skills   
SOWK 4655: Mental Health & Health Care Policy  

Required Evaluation & Research Skills
SOWK 4900: Methods for Evaluating Practice & Programs 

Required Values
SOWK 4790: Human Sexuality

Additional Electives  
SOWK 4521: Advanced Skills for Working with Military Families **taken as elective

Sample Mental Health & Trauma Pathway, with a Trauma-Informed Focus 

Sample Job titles may include: Case Manager, Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Therapist, Clinician, Counselor, Mental Health Therapist, Social Worker, Behavioral Health Therapist 

Required Theory   
SOWK 4345: Intersections of MH, Substance Use, & Trauma  

Required Assessment Skills
SOWK 4338: Assessment of MH Across the Lifespan  

Required Ethics, Safety, & Supervisory Skills
SOWK 4752: Trauma Informed Assessment & Interventions
SOWK 4784: Suicide Assessment & Interventions **taken as elective  

Required Intervention Skills  
SOWK 4700: Solution Focused Brief Therapy **taken as elective  
SOWK 4730: Cognitive Behavioral Therapies  

Required Policy & Advocacy Skills   
SOWK 4655: Mental Health & Health Care Policy  

Required Evaluation & Research Skills  
SOWK 4900: Methods for Evaluating Practice & Programs 

Required Values  
SOWK 4235: Disproportionality & Disparities **taken as elective  
SOWK 4643: Digital Justice  

Additional Electives  
SOWK 4521: Advanced Skills for Working with Military Families

Micro- and Macro-level Perspectives in Mental Health and Trauma

Choose courses that focus on the goal of promoting social justice to communities impacted by mental illness and trauma at both micro and macro levels. Our micro-level courses focus on helping affected populations through one-on-one guidance and support, while macro-level courses seek to understand the systemic causes for these public health concerns and develop interventions that address them.

Micro-level Course Spotlight:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapies

Examine major cognitive approaches to social work practice, including methods focused on clients’ problem-solving abilities, clients’ strengths, thought patterns that impede clients from reaching goals, and assessing outcomes in terms of changes in thinking and behavior.

Macro-level Course Spotlight:

Intersections of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Trauma

This advanced theory for practice course covers conceptualization, dynamics and interventions related to the intersection of mental health, substance use and trauma. It also explores recent evidence about individual and environmental risks associated with these conditions.

Field Internships

Field internships will complement your learning, bridging theory and skill with applied practice and supervision.

Most important, field internships and supervision will create opportunities for you to develop your professional voice, and manage personal and professional biases while navigating interdisciplinary teams. 

For example, an intern in a correctional facility could:

  • provide counseling services
  • support community awareness regarding the criminalization of mental illness
  • discuss stereotyped perceptions about addiction 

Demand for Mental Health and Trauma Professionals

The demand for mental health and substance abuse social workers is projected to grow 19 percent between 2019 and 2029, which is faster than the national average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

One driving force behind the growth of mental health careers is due to systems, such as corrections and child welfare, implementing practices and approaches that are trauma informed and strengths based. Social workers are helping to lead these efforts.

Careers in Mental Health and Trauma

We encourage you to explore the unique career paths available to social workers. After completing the Mental Health and Trauma pathway, you may be prepared to:

  • pursue post-graduate training to become licensed as a clinical social worker
  • support humane and inclusive practices as a library social worker
  • provide counseling to justice-involved youth
  • assess risk for suicide via texts on a 24/7 crisis line
  • champion lifesaving, harm reduction programming, such as supervised consumption facilities

No matter which career path you choose, you will be ready to lead with knowledge, integrity and awareness. Our MSW alumni have assumed roles such as:

  • Mental health and substance use/disorder counselor/practitioner
  • Behavioral health clinician/specialist
  • Social policy specialist/analyst/consultant
  • Integrated/medical social worker
  • Social case worker

After completing the Mental Health and Trauma pathway, you will be prepared to obtain licensure to work as a mental health/substance use counselor, a behavioral health clinician or a psychiatric social worker, providing therapeutic interventions that are culturally responsive, growth oriented and client centered. 

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