Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Community Mental Health – Honours Bachelor (Child and Youth Care pathway to degree) program is designed specifically for graduates who hold an Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Child and Youth Care (CYCA). This unique streamlined pathway to a degree allows students to enter directly into semester four of the Honours Bachelor in Community Mental Health program.

Through a comprehensive mix of theoretical, research and applied courses, students will apply their knowledge in a mandatory 14-week, 420-hour experiential work placement, bridging the transition from the classroom to real-world experience. Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and concrete skills to successfully enter community mental health roles in areas such as case management, crisis counselling, mental health promotion, addictions counselling, housing and advocacy consultancy, peer support, and residential youth work.

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
January 2026	Open

Program Highlights

• Success Stories
• Resources
• Success Stories

Supporting rising mental health demands through responsive programming

Lead the way 2025 Program Guide

Other Resources

• Attend a DC Information Webinar
• Financial Aid Information

Admission Requirements

• Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Child and Youth Care with a minimum average of 60 per cent to be eligible to receive block of transfer credits.

Tuition

View full costs

Semester 1 Courses

• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Healthy Promotion and Healthy Living (HLTH 22000)
• Psychotherapy Modalities (PSYC 22000)
• Personality Psychology (PSYC 22001)
• Social Psychology (SOCI 22000)

View all courses

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE

• Family or marriage counsellor
• Social and community service worker
• Case manager
• Crisis counsellor
• Mental health promoter
• Addictions counsellor
• Housing advocate
• Peer support
• Residential youth worker

View all career options

Program Details

Developed in response to the growing need for mental health services, this degree program prepares future practitioners with the skills and knowledge required to provide support and leadership within the evolving landscape of community mental health.

The HBMH program has been developed by DC in collaboration with subject matter experts and representatives from the private, non-profit and government sectors ranging in services and agencies from community mental health, adult and youth court diversion counselling, developmental disabilities and concurrent disorders, gender-based counselling services, health care, addiction services and academics in the field.

Built on the foundations of psychology, health promotion, counselling, social justice and equity and social science, this program will provide students with a strong cultural humility lens and thorough understanding of social factors to support the mental health of diverse populations including immigrants, refugees, Indigenous peoples, women and 2SLGBTQ+ clients.

Through a comprehensive mix of theoretical, research and applied courses, students will apply their knowledge in a mandatory 14-week, 420-hour experiential work placement, bridging the transition from the classroom to real-world experience. Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and concrete skills to successfully enter community mental health roles in areas such as case management, crisis counselling, mental health promotion, addictions counselling, housing and advocacy consultancy, peer support, and residential youth work.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Evaluate historical and contemporary scholarship to develop treatment approaches that integrate evidence-informed practice and support the needs of the client.
2. Consult with individuals and families to identify and engage them with community resources and services to support unique mental health needs.
3. Advocate with multi-disciplinary teams for the development of community supports and resources where gaps in service have been identified.
4. Develop, implement, and evaluate treatment plans aligning with the goals of clients and referring to community social support systems.
5. Analyze client circumstances and engage in safety planning to mitigate current or potential crisis.
6. Adhere to ethical, legal and scope of practice to work independently and collaboratively to deliver professional and coordinated services.
7. Counsel individuals and groups from a person-centred approach, with cultural humility and using principles of professional therapeutic relationships to empower capacity for self-efficacy.
8. Analyze and evaluate the impact of historical and current mental health policy on personal, cultural, and structural aspects of society.
9. Assess community needs to design, implement and evaluate mental health promotion programs.
10. Integrate critical self-reflective practice and ongoing professional development to maintain currency of practice in the field of mental health.

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.

SEMESTER 1

• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Healthy Promotion and Healthy Living (HLTH 22000)
• Psychotherapy Modalities (PSYC 22000)
• Personality Psychology (PSYC 22001)
• Social Psychology (SOCI 22000)

SEMESTER 2

• Recovery-Oriented Practice (HLTH 31000)
• Applied Counselling Skills (PSYC 31000)
• Advanced Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 31001)
• Healthcare and Legal Systems (SOCI 11001)
• Statistics (STAT 26001)

SEMESTER 3

• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Field Placement Preparation (FDPL 32000)
• Trauma and Resiliency (PSYC 32000)
• Crisis and Solution Focused Interventions (PSYC 32001)
• Quantitative Research Methods (RSCH 26001)
• Qualitative Research Methods (RSCH 32001)

SEMESTER F

• Field Placement (HBMH 41000)

SEMESTER 4

• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Analysis Of Language In The Clinical Conversation (LING 46001)
• Group Counselling (PSYC 41000)
• Advanced Social Psychology (PSYC 41001)
• Thesis Project: Research Proposal Seminar (RSCH 46001)

SEMESTER 5

• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Reflective Practice, Professional Development and Interpersonal Collaboration (ETHC 46001)
• Advanced Psychotherapy Approaches (PSYC 42000)
• Thesis Project: Research Analysis and Summary (RSCH 46002)
• Advocacy and Community Needs Assessment (SOCI 42000)

Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.

Course Delivery

In person

Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.

In person:

• Course is delivered in person, on campus within a classroom, lab, shop or studio. Hybrid:
• Part of the course is delivered online, remotely, and part is in-person on campus within a classroom, lab, shop or studio. Online:
• Fully remote course delivery.

Costs

The fees below are estimates only based on information available at the time of publication, and do not include the cost of textbooks. There may be additional costs; however, not all courses require textbooks.

Finances shouldn’t be a barrier to you achieving your educational goals.
DC’s Financial Aid and Awards office is here to help you navigate a number of financial aid programs to support your education.

Residency

Canadian Citizen or Permanent ResidentInternational

Started Academic Year In

FallWinterSpring

Year 2 Costs

Semester 2 | | Tuition: | $3,277.35
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $430
Total: |$4,181.54

Semester 3 | | Tuition: | $3,277.35
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $120
Total: |$3,871.54

Year 3 Costs

Semester 4 | | Tuition: | $3,277.35
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $430
Total: |$4,181.54

Semester 5 | | Tuition: | $3,277.35
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $120
Total: |$3,871.54

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE

• Family or marriage counsellor
• Social and community service worker
• Case manager
• Crisis counsellor
• Mental health promoter
• Addictions counsellor
• Housing advocate
• Peer support
• Residential youth worker

WHERE YOU COULD WORK

• Public health facilities
• Hospitals
• Private counselling
• Advocacy groups
• Social services

Experiential Learning

Students will have the opportunity to gain work-integrated learning experience in a supervised setting through a 14-week, 420-hour mandatory field placement between the third and fourth semesters. Field placement is an integral part of this degree program that allows the integration of field work with academic studies to enable students to better understand the practical application of methods and techniques for organizing activities and working collaboratively in the field.

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note:There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

• Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

• A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements.
• Current Level C CPR certification from a recognized provider.
• Current standard first aid certification from a recognized provider.

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Students eligible for the pathway will receive the following transfer credits:

• Community Mental Health (PSYC 11000)
• Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 16002)
• Social Justice and Equity (SOCI 11000)
• Counselling Theories and Approaches (PSYC 12000)
• Developmental Psychology (PSYC 16005)
• Cultural Humility (SOCI 12000)
• Health Psychology (HLTH 12000)
• Therapeutic Communications Skills (PSYC 16003)
• Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 21000)
• Ethics and Professional Practice (ETHC 21000)
• Addictions (SOCI 36001)
• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)
• Breadth Elective Credit (BRTH 00000)

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials:

Graduates will be well-prepared to pursue further graduate study in community mental health, counselling psychology or related fields, including the Master of Counselling Psychology degree program at the University of Western Ontario and graduate education programs at Carleton University and Sir Wilfrid Laurier University.

Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.

Meet Your Faculty Experts

• Negar Alamdar

Faculty Member, Faculty of Social and Community Services (SCS)

Negar Alamdar has a PhD from York University. She currently teaches at both York University and Durham College. She has also taught many courses at Humber College and St. Clair/Ace Acumen College. Negar also works as a front-line developmental service worker supporting and counselling individuals with developmental disabilities

• Jenny Andrus

Faculty Member, Faculty of Social and Community Services (SCS)

Jenny Andrus is a part-time Professor and Program Coordinator for the Honours Bachelor of Community Mental Health program. Jenny is a Registered Psychotherapist and Social Worker with the province of Ontario and has experience providing community counselling and private counseling in addition to teaching experience.

• Lorraine Closs

Faculty Member, Faculty of Social and Community Services (SCS)

Lorraine Closs has been a full-time Professor in the Faculty of Social and Community Services since 2013, teaching in both the Social Service Worker and Bachelor of Community Mental Health programs. She has extensive experience in social work, psychotherapy, and developing community partnerships. She has led several research projects at DC and her research area of focus is on social injustice related to poverty and homelessness.

• Carl Legault

Faculty Member, Faculty of Social and Community Services (SCS)

Carl is a full-time faculty member and current Program Coordinator for the ADMH program. He is a Registered Psychotherapist in private practice. Carl has worked as an advanced clinician in addictions, mental health, and trauma. He holds a Graduate Certificate in ADMH, MA in Clinical Ethics, and BA in Philosophy.

Land Acknowledgement

Durham College is situated on the traditional lands of the First Peoples of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. These lands are covered under the Williams Treaties and rest within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Peoples who care for and, through the treaty process, share the lands on which we live, learn, teach and prosper today.