Certificate – Treatment Strategies for Returning Troops

All Continuing Education Certificate courses may be taken as either certificate courses or as stand-alone Continuing Education courses. Prerequisites must be observed.

Since 9/11, approximately 2.1 million troops have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND). California has one of the highest numbers of deployed, wounded, and seriously wounded service members. 30,000 service members come back to California yearly – more than the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can adequately serve. A RAND Corporation report in 2008 estimated that 300,000 vets suffer from PTSD, anxiety or major depressive symptoms. An additional 320,000 may have experienced a traumatic brain injury. Experts estimate that it usually takes about a year to re-stabilize after coming back but one’s family can be deeply impacted in that time.

This new certificate program is designed to provide mental health providers, family members, educators, school counselors, VA program staff at colleges and universities, and advocates at the many organizations who serve our veterans with the information and skills they need to address the pertinent issues affecting our returning troops. Taught by experts from the VA and the National Center for PTSD, the curriculum includes the latest empirically-supported treatment methods endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Certificate requirements: A minimum of 50 hours is required. This includes three core courses, one treatment method, and at least three electives. Additional treatment methods may be taken as electives. New electives will be available in each catalog and different core courses are offered throughout the year.

Core Courses

• Exploring the Psychological Impact of War and its Unique Treatment Considerations
• Integrated Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT): An Effective, Evidence-Based Therapy for OEF/OIF Veterans and their Partners
• The Difficult Journey Home: Promoting Resilience in Families during and after Deployment

Treatment Methods (choose one)*

Each participant must complete the full training in one of the following treatment methods:

(Treatment methods A & B are no longer being offered at this time)

1. PTSD and Substance Abuse in Veterans – Seeking Safety: Overview and Implementation
2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – Part I and Part II plus Consultation

*Additional treatment method courses may be taken as electives. New electives will be available in each catalog. Treatment Methods are offered throughout the year.

Discount Available! Enroll in three classes in this series at one time and receive 10 percent off each class.

Course Completion Time Limit

You will have 90 days to complete the online course from the date of registration. You may request 30 day extensions for a fee of $35. Download the Extension Request Form from the right sidebar and mail or fax it to our office or call us at 800.557.1384. Extensions take a few days to process. An email will be sent to you when the extension access has been granted.

Certificate Series Enrollment

The certificate program enrollment fee is $35. Please submit a Certificate Program Enrollment form on or before registering for your third course in the series. You will have three years to complete your course work from the date of your enrollment. Click here to submit your Certificate Program Enrollment online or use the downloadable enrollment form available under “Related Downloads” on the right side of this page.

Certificate Series Completion

After you have completed the all the courses needed to fulfill the certificate requirements, please complete and submit a Certificate Verification form, available under “Related Downloads” on the right side of this page or send an email to conted@jfku.edu. Please allow six weeks for your course work to be reviewed and a certificate to be issued to you.

Frequently Asked Questions are available under “Related Downloads” on the right side of this page.