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Startlingly, more than half of individuals in Alabama who suffer from mental illness don’t have access to health care due to cost. With such alarming numbers, it’s more important than ever to have capable mental health training in all medical facilities. 

Clements and Lee County’s health science instructors recently completed two theory classes and two lab days to become certified as Mental Health Workers and Community Health Workers. 

They can now offer those credentials to the 11th and 12th-grade health science students in the Beulah High career pathway.

The Skills for Success Program is a part of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). Each summer, health science instructors around the state attend a conference. That’s where they learned about the certification. 

Clements said her focus at Beulah High is on the career readiness indicator, which all students in Alabama are required to have to graduate. 

The school offers a certified nursing assistant certification already, as well as an EMT certification and an EKG Technician certification through dual enrollment at Southern Union State Community College.

“I think this is wonderful. And [there are] lots of opportunities for our kids in Southern Union. It’s just so awesome,” Clements said. “They really help all of our kids get ready for the next chapter of their life.”

However, the Mental Health Workers certification gives students a more well-rounded foundation and an additional certificate that will give them an advantage when entering the workforce. 

For the new mental health certification, Clements said students will go through several modules learning about different types of mental health disorders, treatment options and other information before moving on to a lab portion. 

She has started integrating the modules into her classes, many of which blend seamlessly into her regular curriculum. 

Clements said the certification is not only useful for students interested in mental health but anyone considering a medical field or public health profession. 

“I always tell my students that you’re going to have mental health patients in every field, mental health patients deliver babies, and mental health patients get sick and have to be in hospital. So just having that background is important for all aspects [of the medical field],” Clements said.