Clinical Rehabilitation & Clinical Mental Health Specialization

The Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Mental Health specialization is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs through October 31, 2023.  This dually accredited specialization prepares graduates for professional certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), as well as meeting the educational requirements in the State of Arizona for Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Upon graduation, students will possess all of the skills required to assist individuals with behavioral, emotional, mental, physical, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities to achieve their personal, career, and independent living goals in the most integrated setting possible.

Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Specialization (12 credits)

  • SERP 565 Introduction to Rehabilitation and Mental Health CNSL
  • SERP 585 Career and Vocational Planning
  • SERP 587 Lifespan Development and Disability
  • SERP 594 Practicum - Rehabilitation Specialty

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization (12 credits)

  • SERP 565 Introduction to Rehabilitation and Mental Health CNSL
  • SERP 585 Career and Vocational Planning
  • SERP 510 Counseling over the Lifespan
  • SERP 576 Trauma, Loss, & Grief

Certification in Rehabilitation Counseling

The Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (AZ RSA) considers it a priority to hire and retain personnel who meet Joint Committee on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification education and experience standards.  

To achieve that goal, the AZ RSA and the University of Arizona maintain an Intergovernmental Agreement that offers a certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling. The Rehabilitation Counseling Certificate Program qualifies certain RSA employees who hold an MA in Rehabilitation Counseling or a similar field but must supplement or “upgrade” their transcripts to qualify for the national rehabilitation Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification examination. Equally as important, AZ RSA staff with BA/BS and MA/MS degrees in fields far removed from counseling (e.g., human resources, business administration, religious studies) may also participate in the Certificate Program to increase their knowledge base and competencies. 

Thus, five (5) University of Arizona Counseling Program graduate courses serve as the knowledge base for the primary domains of the CRC examination – Rehabilitation and Disability as well as Counseling.  The Certificate Program courses completed over the course of one academic year (i.e., Fall, Spring, Summer) include: 

  1. SERP 554: Motivational Interviewing 
  2. SERP 565: Introduction to Rehab & Mental Health CNSL 
  3. SERP 585: Career and Vocational Planning 
  4. SERP 587: Lifespan Development and Disability
  5. SERP 580: Medical Aspects of Disability 

AzRSA Certification Program Guidelines

Other resources

Rehabilitation Counseling Links