High School Degree/GED or Associate’s Level Degree

1.        Addiction Counselor (CADC-I) with certification

    • Education: Certification in addiction counseling.

    • Role: Works specifically with individuals suffering from addiction and substance abuse, providing individual counseling, group therapy, and recovery support.

2.        Youth Outreach Worker (YOW)

    • Education: Requires a high school diploma or equivalent, with training in health-related areas.

    • Role: Works to improve the overall health of communities, providing health education, linking individuals to resources, and offering general support, often in underserved populations.

3.        Traditional Health Worker (THW)

    • Education: Requires a high school diploma or equivalent, with training in health-related areas.

    • Role: Works to improve the overall health of communities, providing health education, linking individuals to resources, and offering general support, often in underserved populations.

4.        Community Health Worker (CHW)

    • Education: Requires a high school diploma or equivalent, with training in health-related areas.

    • Role: Works to improve the overall health of communities, providing health education, linking individuals to resources, and offering general support, often in underserved populations.

5.        Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA)

    • Education/Training: Typically requires training in behavioral health, including coursework or certifications in mental health.

    • Role: QMHAs assist clinicians and professionals in the delivery of services, often providing intake, support, and care coordination.

6.        Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM)

    • Education/Training: Peer-specific training and certification.

    • Role: Often works with individuals in addiction recovery, offering support, encouragement, and help with navigating recovery resources and treatment.

7.        Peer Support Specialist

    • Education/Training: Typically no formal degree required, but completion of a peer support training program is mandatory. Certification through Oregon’s Peer Support Specialist program is common.

    • Role: Peer Support Specialists provide support from a lived experience of mental health or addiction recovery. They help individuals navigate treatment options, offer emotional support, and assist in crisis situations.

Bachelor’s Degree in a Related Field

A bachelor’s degree in a human services field, such as psychology, social work, sociology, or a similar discipline, is typically the minimum educational requirement.

This path requires:

  • A degree that is recognized by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) in a behavioral health field.

  • You would need to gain clinical experience to be eligible to provide mental health services. Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA)

1.        School Social Worker

 

2.        Program Coordinator

 

3.        Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA)

    1. Education/Training: Typically requires training in behavioral health, including coursework or certifications in mental health.

    2. Role: QMHAs assist clinicians and professionals in the delivery of services, often providing intake, support, and care coordination.

4.        Addiction Counselor (CADC-I) with certification

    1. Education: Bachelor’s level, with certification in addiction counseling.

    2. Role: Works specifically with individuals suffering from addiction and substance abuse, providing individual counseling, group therapy, and recovery support.

5.        Social Workers (BSW)

    • Education: Bachelor’s in social work, often with school-specific certification.

    • Role: Provide counseling and mental health services within educational settings, supporting students’ emotional and behavioral well-being.

6.        Behavioral Health Case Manager

    • Education: Generally, requires a bachelor’s degree in behavioral health or social services field.

    • Role: Case managers coordinate services for clients receiving mental health or substance use treatment. They assist clients in obtaining services, accessing benefits, and managing care.

Master’s Degree in a Related Field

1.        Quality Mental Health Professional (QMHP)

This is the more advanced pathway and is commonly pursued by those who wish to become licensed mental health professionals (e.g., LCSW, LPC, etc.), but it's also sufficient to meet the QMHP qualification if the required hours of supervised experience are completed.

 Experience Requirements

  • In addition to the education requirement, Oregon's QMHP designation generally includes clinical supervision and direct practice experience. The hours and types of experience will depend on your degree.

Specific Coursework and Training

  • Some positions require specific coursework or training, such as:

    • Behavioral health treatment

    • Trauma-informed care

    • Crisis intervention

    • Cultural competence in mental health services

Licensing or Certification

  • Depending on the nature of the work, you may need to hold a license or certification. For example, if you plan to work as a therapist or counselor, becoming licensed (such as LCSW, LPC, or LMFT) is often a necessary step after obtaining your master's degree and completing the required clinical hours.

Supervised Clinical Hours

  • After meeting educational requirements, you need to complete a set number of supervised clinical hours working under the supervision of a licensed professional in the mental health field.

Specialized Programs or Trainings

  • In some cases, employers may require additional specialized training for specific populations or disorders, such as:

    • Substance Use Disorders (SUD)

    • Trauma-informed care

    • Developmental disabilities

If you are considering a pathway to becoming a QMHP, it's important to check the latest requirements and certifications set by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) or local employers as they may vary or change over time. You might also want to consult with your agency’s HR or other professionals who are already in the field for additional guidance.

In Oregon, various professionals provide behavioral health services, ranging from licensed and trained clinicians with master's degrees to peer support specialists and health workers. Here’s a list of the different professions that offer behavioral health services in the state:

Master's Degree-Level Professionals

  1. Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

    • Education: Master's in Social Work (MSW) with clinical licensure.

    • Role: Provides psychotherapy, counseling, crisis intervention, and case management. LCSWs work with individuals, families, and groups to address mental health, trauma, and addiction issues.

  2. Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

    • Education: Master’s in Counseling (MA or MS) and clinical licensure.

    • Role: LPCs provide psychotherapy and counseling services, typically specializing in mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and trauma.

  3. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

    • Education: Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) with clinical requirement for licensure.

    • Role: Provides counseling services with a focus on relationship dynamics, including couples and family therapy.

  4. Behavioral Health Clinician (BHC)

    • Education: Master's in Social Work or Counseling with clinical licensure.

    • Role: Provides psychotherapy, counseling, crisis intervention, and case management in medical settings with individuals, families, and groups to address mental health, trauma, and addiction issues.

  5. Substance Use Disorder Counselor (CADC-II, -III)

    • Education: Master’s in a behavioral health field and certification in substance use disorders (CADC-II, CADC-III)

    • Role: Specializes in working with individuals struggling with substance use and related mental health disorders.

  6. Clinical Psychotherapist

  7. Clinical Supervisor

Master’s Level RN

Licensed Nurse Practitioner (LNP) or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

    • Education: Master's or doctoral degree in nursing, specializing in psychiatric/mental health care.

    • Role: Can diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medications, and provide psychotherapy. PMHNPs specialize in behavioral health within the nursing field.

 

PhD, PsyD, or EdD

1.        Psychologist (PhD, PsyD, or EdD)

    • Education: Doctoral-level degree (though the master's level may be involved in some initial positions).

    • Role: Licensed psychologists can conduct assessments, provide psychotherapy, and sometimes prescribe medications (if also licensed as a prescribing psychologist). They often specialize in psychological testing, therapy, and behavioral interventions.

2.        Psychiatrist (MD or DO)

    • Education: Medical degree (MD or DO) and residency in psychiatry.

    • Role: A psychiatrist can diagnose and treat mental health conditions, prescribe medications, and sometimes provide psychotherapy.