The University of Connecticut School of Social Work has launched a new Certificate in Child and Youth Behavioral Health for students enrolled in its Master of Social Work program. A 2020 UNICEF report ranked the United States 36th out of 38 high-income countries for child well-being based on mental health, physical health, and educational development. Research from 2021 found that one in six U.S. children has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, yet nearly half receive no treatment.
“The need for specialized training in child and youth behavioral health has never been more urgent,” explains Regina Lester-Harriat, assistant professor-in-residence. “Social workers are often the first and, on some occasions, the only mental health professionals that children and families encounter in schools, clinics, and community settings.” To earn the certificate, students complete three specialized courses and an advanced year of practicum focused on child and youth behavioral health, totaling 17 credits. These requirements fulfill existing degree requirements, meaning the certificate adds no extra time or cost to the MSW program.
Required courses include Clinical Conditions with Children and Adolescents and Core Components and Skills for Trauma-Informed Practice with Children and Youth, with electives including Child & Adolescent Trauma and Mental Health, Evidence-Based Practice/Family Intervention, Direct Practice in School, or Child Maltreatment. The certificate aims to equip MSW students with skills to deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally and linguistically inclusive mental health services for young people.
MSW student Kimberly Rios is pursuing the certificate to support Spanish-speaking families struggling with mental health. “It is important to validate our lived experiences,” Rios says. The program ensures students enter the field with strong clinical foundations and the specialized tools needed to support children and adolescents in the settings where they live and learn.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://today.uconn.edu/2025/12/ssw-launches-new-certificate-to-address-childrens-mental-health-crisis/