Integrated care competencies: Self-assessment by graduate counseling students

The prevalence and complexities associated with the co-existence of mental and physical health conditions remain a serious concern that warrants integrated care (IC)—a collaborative multi-disciplinary system of care delivery incorporating primary care with behavioral health that ensures consumer access to continuous and appropriate care. In this study, we examined the relationship between graduate counseling students’ characteristics—gender, field experience, and training in IC and their self-perceived competency in IC. Data from 243 participants in graduate counselor education programs from the United States (U.S.) were collected using the Integrated Care Competency Scale, and analyzed using MANOVA and multiple regression analyses. Results indicated that access to IC training and field experiences were linked to higher self-reported competencies in IC. Moreover, the findings revealed that counseling students’ specialty, exposure to training, and field experience were good predictors of competency in IC. Implications for counselor education training and further research are discussed.