Mental Health Policy, Economics and Services Certificate Program
OVERVIEW
The certificate program introduces current issues in mental health policy including economic evaluation of mental and substance disorders and their treatments; access to mental health care treatments and utilization patterns; and mental health care financing, insurance, and delivery system issues in the U.S. The certificate program also strives to orient mental health policy, economics, and services training within the broader context of ongoing national health care debates.
It is open to Johns Hopkins University graduate students interested in policy, advocacy and research careers within the field of mental health and junior and mid-level public health professionals interested in expanding their knowledge base and expertise in mental health services and economics and related policy issues.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Students completing the certificate will gain specialized knowledge of policy issues and economics relevant to mental disorders and mental health services. They will be able to:
- Describe the types, organization and financing of service systems for the mentally ill in the US; strengths and weaknesses of these service systems; and historical and recent trends in the mental health care delivery system
- Discuss the major legal and political developments in mental health care in the US over the last century and their impact on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health illnesses and associated disabilities and co-morbidities
- Interpret and provide input into the conduct of program evaluations, including economic evaluation of mental health interventions, and the design and implementation of mental health services and policy
- Use economic theory to predict changes in delivery of, access to, and quality of mental health services in response to changes in national and local policies and incentives
- Interpret and provide input into the conduct of health systems research related to mental health interventions, services, and policy.
Sponsoring Department
Department of Mental Health
Admissions
Contact information and complete certificate program admissions information is available on the certificate program page on the Bloomberg School of Public Health website.

