Master of Arts (M.A.) in Forensic Mental Health Leadership
Chicago
The Adler University Master of Arts in Forensic Mental Health Leadership develops professionals to influence systems at the intersection of behavioral health and criminal justice. Combining psychology, leadership training, and policy analysis, this program prepares graduates for roles in courts, corrections, law enforcement, and community agencies.
- 36 credits
- 16-month program, full-time study
- Dual-degree + certificate options
- Part-time opportunities
Admission Deadlines
| Term | Priority | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | 12/1/2025 | 2/15/2026 |
Program overview
Courts, corrections, and related systems increasingly require leaders who understand both behavioral health and systemic reform. Positioned at this critical intersection, the master’s in forensic mental health leadership reimagines how justice structures can respond to behavioral health needs, advancing practices that strengthen both individual lives and community resilience.
Specialized coursework explores the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders within the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on designing approaches that promote rehabilitation and healthier outcomes.
Why choose the forensic mental health leadership program at Adler?
- Policy and systems training: Design interventions, reform structures, and lead organizations amid legal and societal complexity.
- Chicago advantage: Learn in a major urban center where courts, correctional systems, law enforcement, and community agencies provide direct opportunities for applied learning and partnerships.
- Adlerian focus: Rooted in Alfred Adler’s principles of social interest and belonging, the program emphasizes systemic change that strengthens both individuals and communities.
- Faculty expertise: Led by experienced faculty with backgrounds in forensic psychology, public policy, and justice system leadership.
Expand Your Credentials
Adler University provides students with options to customize their education through dual degrees, certificates, and program emphases.
Dual-degree programs are available for those studying in Chicago, making it possible to pursue two fields of study at the same time — combining complementary skill sets, expanding professional networks, and opening new career opportunities. Students may also add a certificate to further specialize their expertise, gaining focused training that complements their primary degree.
Address trauma and reimagine systems with a dual degree that unites forensic mental health leadership and clinical counseling.
Adler University’s Master of Arts in Forensic Mental Health Leadership combined with the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) prepares graduates to work with diverse clients in traditional mental health programs as well as individuals, families, and systems connected to the legal and criminal justice arena. The program equips clinicians to assess, treat, consult, and provide comprehensive counseling services in forensic and correctional settings, opening pathways to careers across community agencies, health care, and justice systems.
Adler University offers a Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate to students in select Chicago programs through an additional 12 credit hours.
The certificate is accredited as an Advanced Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor Training Program by the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, Inc. (IAODAPCA), following the Illinois Model for Certification of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselors.
Coursework covers the theories, techniques, and core functions of substance abuse counseling, with an emphasis on evidence-based research and best practice standards. A specialized practicum experience further enhances applied skills and professional preparation.
Forensic Mental Health Leadership Careers That shape systems
Graduates are prepared to serve in a variety of capacities in forensic mental health systems and related public safety settings.
law enforcement
A master’s degree can lead to specialized roles in law enforcement, including crisis negotiation, behavioral analysis, and community-based policing. Advanced training also opens doors to supervisory and leadership positions focused on policy development, officer training, and building stronger community relationships.
Victim assistance
Focus on supporting survivors of crime and trauma through counseling, advocacy, and crisis response. Graduates may work in victim service agencies, prosecutor’s offices, or nonprofit organizations, ensuring that survivors have access to resources, legal guidance, and emotional support. Their advanced training enables them to navigate the complex interplay of trauma recovery, legal processes, and community resources.
Family court services
With their advanced training, graduates can bring expertise in family dynamics, trauma-informed practice, and conflict resolution to ensure that decisions made in family courts consider the best interests of children and the health of family systems.
Policy, advocacy, + research
Beyond direct service, graduates may shape systems through policy development, research, and advocacy. They can analyze data, evaluate programs, and inform legislation that affects criminal justice, social services, or community health.
Emergencies + crisis management
Coordinate responses to emergencies such as natural disasters, community violence, or public health crises. Professionals in this field apply trauma-informed strategies to meet immediate needs while also building long-term resilience. Opportunities exist in government agencies, nonprofits, and law enforcement, where the focus is on protecting communities and strengthening recovery systems.
Admissions requirements
Eligibility
Applicants to the forensic mental health program must meet the following requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree earned from a regionally accredited college or university or an equivalent degree from an international college or university.
- A recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate and graduate coursework. Exceptions may be made for applicants who demonstrate outstanding academic performance or academic ability in other ways.
Application Requirements
Applicants are required to submit the following items to be considered for admission:
- Completed application submitted via the online portal.
- Application fee.
- Statement of Intent.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae.
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended (U.S. and Canada).
- Unofficial transcripts may be accepted for any schools in which a degree was not received.
- International transcripts must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- These should be from someone who can specifically speak to your academic and professional abilities.
Approved applicants will be invited to complete an interview with faculty.
Statement of Intent
Applicants are required to provide a statement of intent answering the following questions. They should be 2-3 pages, double-spaced.
- Why are you interested in your chosen field and program?
- Why is Adler University’s program a good fit for you?
- Respond to Adler University’s mission statement as it relates to being a leader in your industry.
- What are your career goals and interests?
How to Apply + Submit Transcripts
- Visit Adler University’s online application portal, create an account, and submit your application, fee, Statement of Intent, resume/CV, and references’ details.
- Have official transcripts sent directly from each issuing institution or approved service to the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline. Do not upload official copies to the portal.
Adler University – Office of Admissions
17 N. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Official electronic transcripts should be sent to admissions@adler.edu.
Curriculum | Internships | practicums
The forensic mental health leadership program can be completed in as little as 12 months, making it an attractive option for students who may be currently employed. Completion of the program includes the courses below, along with additional requirements outlined in the Adler University catalog.
CORE COURSES
Roles, Responsibilities, and Leadership In Forensic Mental Health and Public Safety
This course will explore the historic roots of the forensic mental health and public safety professions, as well as provide clarification as to the roles, developments, professional responsibilities, legal and ethical standards, leadership styles and models, and future directions of the field.
Group Counseling
This course introduces students to theory and principles of group dynamics as well as developmental stages of groups. In addition, group members’ roles and behaviors and therapeutic factors of group work will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to apply these principles through role-playing, participating as group members in an experiential component of this course as well as designing, planning, leading, and co-leading group sessions for diverse client populations.
Forensic Mental Health Leadership Capstone Seminar
This is the capstone course for the Forensic Mental Health Leadership (FMHL) program, and should be taken in the student’s last semester.
Counseling Skills
This course teaches basic relationship and counseling skills using role-plays and other experiential activities. The course covers basic counseling skills (e.g., attending, active listening, building rapport), intake interviewing, and self-reflection/self-assessment procedures. It also addresses additional skills such as confrontation, immediacy, here-and-now processing, self-disclosure, and stages of change.
Diagnosis of Maladaptive Behavior
This course will provide students with a grounding in mental health issues and community and systems based responses for those with mental health disorders. Specifically, this course will provide an overview of the major disorders in the current edition of the DSM.
Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling
This course is designed to provide an operational knowledge base and skills needed for providing more effective forensic mental health and public safety services in a multicultural society.
Research and Program Evaluation
This course is a master’s-level introduction to research methods and program evaluation as it pertains to the field of professional counseling. Major research designs including both quantitative and qualitative methods will be explored. Research procedures, such data collection, sampling, and data analysis, and issues related to validity, reliability, and limitations of different approaches will be discussed. In addition, the course will survey the history and development of program evaluation and provide an introduction to needs assessment in regard to program development, data collection methodology, and data analysis. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for interpreting and reporting the results of research and program evaluation studies will be also covered.
Addictions Counseling
This course introduces students to a conceptual framework for understanding substance use disorders and addictions. It examines the history of alcohol and drug problems in the United States, various etiological theories and models of addiction, the role of culture in substance use and abuse, high-risk groups, the physiology and pharmacology of different types of substances, and the effects of substance abuse on individuals, families, and communities.
ELECTIVES
Violence and Risk Assessment
This course explores the evaluation and examination of violence and aggression, their origins and determinants, and their impact on the individual and society. This course addresses general risk assessment and management principles and focuses on the most common forms of violence including general violence, mass violence, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking. The course provides mental health professionals with practical skills related to using specific risk assessment tools and knowledge about implementing violence risk assessment and management procedures. Practical exercises drawn from actual cases are used to illustrate key concepts.
Counseling in Forensic Populations
This course exposes students to the wide gamut of approaches utilized in the treatment and rehabilitation of offenders, with attention given to the evaluation of their effectiveness. The course also explores the complexities of assessing and treating various mental health diagnoses and conditions within forensic settings.
Forensic Mental Health Evaluation
This course prepares students to be forensic mental health evaluators. It focuses on the role of forensic mental health counselors and evaluators in legal processes relating to family violence, child custody, sex offenders, juvenile justice, and other judiciary issues in both criminal and specialized courts.
Assessment and Intervention with the Juvenile Offender
This course addresses the factors leading to the causes, assessment, classification, and treatment of juvenile delinquency. This course examines cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, and developmental approaches contributing to delinquency. This course analyzes legal and institutional responses to juvenile crime from various theoretical perspectives. The role of the mental health professional in the juvenile justice system is explored. This course reviews the major empirically-based prevention and treatment approaches with relevant case studies presented to illustrative key concepts.
Police and Public Safety Psychology
Police and public safety psychology is concerned with assisting law enforcement and other public safety personnel and agencies in carrying out their missions and societal functions with effectiveness, safety, health, and conformity to laws and ethics. It consists of the application of the science and profession of psychology in the domains of assessment, clinical intervention, operational support, and organizational consultation.
Assessment and Intervention with the Sexual Offender
This course addresses assessment and treatment of sex offenders and incorporates psychological, criminological, social, and legal theoretical models used in understanding the various types of sex offenders. This course provides risk assessment and prevention models for treatment as well as current evidence-based treatments for this population.
Correctional Counseling and Rehabilitation
This course emphasizes the unique culture of working in a correctional environment. This course provides an overview of the history and evolution of corrections; the development of prisons; and the ideological and theoretical underpinnings of corrections. The history, structure, theories, techniques, and interventions of correctional counseling and rehabilitation is explored.
Clinicians in Court
This course provides an overview of the role of the clinician within the legal system. Techniques and skills explored within the course include documentation, report writing, consultation, pre-court preparation, courtroom testimony, and expert witness testimony. Students will acquire a basic knowledge of the legal and ethical obligations related to clinical work within court-related services.
SOCIAL JUSTICE PRACTICUM
Your opportunity to create lasting change on local and global systems, almost from day 1.
The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) at Adler University is a first-year non-clinical, community-based experience that reflects Alfred Adler’s concept of social interest. The practicum places students with mission-driven organizations where they complete a minimum of 200 approved hours across two semesters, typically 8-10 hours per week. Alongside their placements, students participate in required workshops. Each practicum is evaluated through midterm and final supervisor reviews, student self-assessments, and feedback on the site and project, with grades of High Pass, Pass, Remediation, or Fail. The experience culminates in a campus-wide presentation of outcomes, assessed by multiple evaluators, offering students both applied training and the opportunity to contribute to meaningful community change.
CAPSTONE
The capstone serves as the culminating experience of the Master of Arts in Forensic Mental Health Leadership, bringing together the knowledge and skills developed throughout the coursework. Students conduct a community needs assessment to identify a gap in services, using their findings as the foundation for designing a comprehensive forensic mental health program proposal.
The project requires identifying, researching, and analyzing a specific social service need from the perspective of the consumer. Based on this assessment, students propose targeted interventions and develop the tools and support materials necessary for implementation and evaluation. This applied project not only demonstrates mastery of forensic mental health leadership principles but also prepares students to create programs that directly address real-world challenges in their communities.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM
The Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling requires the following 12 credits of coursework.
Students will take one of the following:
Introduction to Addictive Disorders | PCO 438
Provides an introduction to alcoholism, substance abuse, and other addictive disorders. It includes an overview of assessment methodologies, the treatment models of addictive disorders, and the tools for recognizing the signs and symptoms of substance use, misuse, abuse, dependence, dual disorders, and mentally ill substance abusers.
Addictions Counseling
This course provides an introduction to substance use and the treatment of addictive disorders. Assessment of substance use disorders and current treatment models for substance use, misuse, abuse, dependence, and concurrent disorders are discussed.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Addictive Disorders
This course is designed to provide an introduction to alcoholism, substance abuse, and other addictive disorders. Included is an overview of the information needed to assess along with the treatment models of addictive disorders.
Introduction to Addictive Disorders | MCFT 538
This course is designed to provide an introduction to alcoholism, substance abuse, and other addictive disorders and an understanding of the impact of addiction on couples and families.
Students will also take one of the following:
Professional Development, Issues, and Ethics in Art Therapy
System Ethics
This course provides students with a solid foundation for the ethical practice of therapy with couples, families, and individuals in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
Professional, Legal, and Ethics Issues
This course provides a foundation for the ethical practice of professional counseling. It introduces students to the history of the counseling profession as well as professional roles (practitioner, supervisor, educator, etc.) and professional organizations.
Ethics and Professional Development in Clinical Psychology
This course is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for the ethical practice of professional psychology. Students will learn the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct as well as the history of professional psychology and psychotherapy.
Students will also take one of the following:
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Aspects of Addictions | CSAC 889
Biological, neurological, and cognitive neuroscientific aspects of addictions are covered in the context of social, interpersonal, sociocultural, family, community, economic, and environmental dynamics. The psychological aspects of addictions are also addressed in relation to the aforementioned contexts, as well as psycho-spiritual and spiritual perspectives.
This course has prerequisites.
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Aspects of Addictions | PSY 712
Major theories of etiology, social dynamics, and psychology of alcohol and other drug disorders are presented within the context of human development. Clinical research is reviewed, which enhances a further understanding of the basic physiological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects. Impact on the individual, family, community, and organizations/systems is presented.
Students will also take one of the following:
Advanced Addictions Treatment
Advances and deepens the degree of understanding of theoretical models and research related to addictions counseling. The areas of application include addictive behaviors, alcohol and substance abuse, etiology of addiction, and dual diagnosis and comorbidity.
This course has prerequisites.
Advanced Treatment of Addictive Disorders
Advances and deepens the degree of understanding of theoretical models and research related to addictions counseling. The areas of application include addictive behaviors, alcohol and substance abuse, etiology of addiction, and dual diagnosis and comorbidity.
SPECIALIZED PRACTICUM
In addition to the specialized coursework, students pursuing the Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling will acquire and develop practical skills in the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) core functions through specialized field placements. The Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling requires the following four semester credit hours of practicum and two substance abuse counseling practicum and seminar courses.
“Given the increased mental health needs within the forensic, correctional, and criminal justice systems, we need clinicians to provide services within these environments and to advocate for those with mental disorders or psychiatric symptoms. Now more than ever in today’s polarized society, we need to work with and for individuals and communities that historically and currently are underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized.”
– Ryan Tobiasz, Ph.D., LCPC
Program Director
Financing your degree
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