Her passion for human connection and desire to support underserved youth as a mental health provider is what inspired Rose Baty to enroll in the Master of Science in Counseling program at the Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences.

“My hope is to give back to children like myself who have grown up with trauma,” Baty, a mom of 3, said.

The master’s in counseling program provides education and training for mental health counseling in the health care setting and prepares students for licensure in the state of California as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). It’s part of Kaiser Permanente’s larger mission of expanding the mental health workforce and increasing its diversity and representation with a goal of providing culturally responsive care for all.

“The staff have walked me through the experience step by step and have made a real effort to see me as an individual, outside of being a student.” – Rose Baty

Applications to the master’s in counseling program are open now until Feb. 18 for its summer cohort that begins July 2022. Apply here.

There are 27 slots open for the 2-year program. All applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree to be eligible for admission. Attend an upcoming virtual information session Feb. 7 to learn more about the program.

The master’s in counseling program is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. It also is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Supportive staff, flexible schedule

Now entering her second quarter, Baty, a program coordinator in the Thoracic Department at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, said the counseling program is exceptional because of its supportive staff and flexible schedule.

“The staff have walked me through the experience step by step and have made a real effort to see me as an individual, outside of being a student,” Baty said.

The hybrid learning environment of the counseling program is designed to allow students who are Kaiser Permanente employees to continue working. Students take classes on campus in Richmond, California, one day a week with the remainder of classes held online.

Rich, diverse training opportunities

The training of the master’s in counseling program prepares students to practice in many different settings, including integrated health care environments such as Kaiser Permanente. During the program, students will participate in supervised clinical trainings through Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Mental Health Training Program.

Marlen Kanagui-Muñoz, PhD, director of Clinical Training and a faculty member of the counseling program, said the variety of clinical trainings are what sets the counseling program apart.

“The program provides a rich experience for our students who will have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge trainings in integrative mental health care that leverages Kaiser Permanente’s diverse mental health offerings including, outpatient, individual, and group therapy, and behavioral medicine,” Kanagui-Muñoz said.

The training and curriculum of the counseling program also equip students to provide culturally responsive mental health care. There is currently a national shortage of licensed mental health counselors, which has been shown to affect low-income areas and communities of color the most. 

“We don’t just have a specific class surrounding multicultural care, it’s woven throughout the entire program,” Kanagui-Muñoz said. “It’s exciting to see folks in our program who represent different races, ages, genders, and language capacities.”

Tuition assistance available for several programs

Kaiser Permanente employees represented by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) may be eligible for 100% tuition assistance through the union’s Education Fund. Employees must be full or part time and have completed their probationary period. Review your benefit options at theedfund.org.

Kaiser Permanente employees who are not SEIU-UHW members can receive 75% tuition assistance for the master’s in counseling program if they are accepted to the Kaiser Permanente  Mental Health Scholars Academy. Interested employees can apply during the next Mental Health Scholars Academy application period, which is in the fall of 2022.  

Tuition reimbursement through the Scholars Academy is not available for the July 2022 cohort of the School of Allied Health counseling program.

Learn more about the Kaiser Permanente Master of Science in Counseling program