HUMAN
SERVICES 1141 | HUMAN
SERVICES 1142
HUMAN
SERVICES 1143 | HUMAN SERVICES 1144
Human Services 1144:
Vocational and Community Living Skills
Course Information
Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 22.1 percent of Americans ages 18 and older, about 1 in 5 adults, suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 1998 U.S. Census residential population estimate, this figure translates to 44.3 million people. In addition, 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US and other developed countries are mental disorders-major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. What can be done to help those persons suffering from a Mental Illness? What careers and professions exist to serve this population? Answers to these and many more questions can be obtained by enrolling in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Certification Program, offered by the Human Services Department at the College of DuPage.
This course is the fourth in the series for the Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Certificate. Courses in the series focus on a rehabilitative approach
to serving individuals with severe mental illness. This approach is
based on the premise that consumers set the goals for the rehabilitation
team.
This Vocational and Community Living Skills course examines themes that address skills for working with community, state, and federal agencies that serve persons with severe mental illness.
The orientation of the course is more practical than theoretical, and there is considerable opportunity to observe and practice relevant skills. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocational rehabilitation, including duties and tasks commonly required in vocational settings (e.g., mediation, negotiation, job coaching, job analysis) and the development of employment sites. Practical application of current policies (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act) impacting employment sites are presented. Networking skills, common state and federal benefit programs, and community-based service provision are presented in the Community Living Skills portion of the course.
This course is appropriate for students planning careers in mental health.
The orientation of the course is more practical and theoretical, and there
is opportunity to observe and practice relevant skills. Students will
learn the fundamentals of physical wellness, including diet, nutrition, exercise,
sanitation, disease prevention and control, and special health considerations
for persons with severe mental illness. The emotional dimension of
wellness includes social support, physical and sensory accommodations, and
geriatric and developmental disabilities considerations. Students will
learn the essentials of environmental safety including the use of safety
equipment and proper body mechanics.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this class, students will be able to:
- identify the role and importance of work for persons with severe mental
illness, program models that implement vocational rehabilitation, and
common tasks associated with each model.
- describe job development, use mediation and negotiation skills
in employment settings, and have a practical understanding of current
policies that impact employment settings, e.g., Americans with Disabilities
Act.
- have practical understanding of state and national benefit
programs. Students
will be able to identify how case management techniques can be used to
empower consumers in community environments.
Prerequisites
There are no course prerequisites to this class, however, it is recommended that the student has taken, or is concurrently taking Human Services 1141 to gain maximum value in the training. Additionally, to benefit from this Internet delivered class, you should have intermediate to advanced computer skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just what IS this class, anyway?
- This is a 4-credit Human Services class. This course is the fourth in
the series for the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Certificate. Courses
in the series focus on a rehabilitative approach to serving individuals
with severe mental illness. This approach is based on the premise
that consumers set the goals for the rehabilitation team.
- This course is appropriate for students planning careers in mental
health.
- This class will be taught entirely on the Internet. As such,
it will require that you be an active participant in the learning process.
Much of what this course offers will present a challenge to established
attitudes, beliefs and behavior patterns that will help you increase
your awareness of and critical thinking toward mental health.
What prerequisites does the class have?
- There are no course prerequisites to this class, however, it
is recommended that the student has taken, or is concurrently taking
Human Services 1141 to gain maximum value in the training.
- However, the class does require that you have intermediate to
advanced computer skills: You should be able to browse the World Wide
Web and participate in Discussion Board discussions, as well as e-mail
correspondence. Having access to the necessary hardware and software
is necessary.
- You will need an E-mail account. All COD students are issued email
accounts. If you do not know your email address, read the email guide.
If, at any time, you run into problems with your student email account, you should contact the Student Help Desk at 630-942-2999 or via email at studenthelp@dupage.edu.
How do I know if online learning is for me?
- Take the SmarterMeasure Assessment to
help you decide if online learning is right for you.
What else do I need to know about taking a course online?
- C.O.D. Online has created a Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) page to provide you with answers to the most
commonly asked questions regarding taking an online class from College
of DuPage.
Will I be able to get any extra help from the instructor if I need it?
- Absolutely. The instructor will accept e-mail 24-hours/day, 7
days/week and will respond to all queries within 72 hours.
Where can I go to get technical help for this course?
- If you encounter any Blackboard technical problems, please visit
the Blackboard Technical Support page, http://www.cod.edu/it/blackboard/support.htm.
How will I access my course materials?
- C.O.D. Online has created a Viewing
and Accessing Course Information and Course Materials page to provide
you with direction in accessing your course materials. This page will
also provide you with technical support information.