Certificate Program for Faculty

The Mental Health and Well-Being Competency Certificate is an initiative of Counseling and Psychology Services (CAPS) and part of the Compassionate Carolina Certificate Program, designed to empower faculty and instructors to foster a culture of care and connection across the University of South Carolina.

Through this three-part training series, participants will deepen their understanding of how trauma, stress, and mental health challenges impact student learning and engagement. Faculty will gain practical tools to respond with empathy, foster belonging, and build classroom cultures that promote healing and resilience.

Program Requirements

The Mental Health and Well-being Competency Certificate of Completion is designed for participants to complete in one semester. The requirements to complete the Mental Health and Well-being Competency Certificate of Completion are:

• Teaching with Compassion: Trauma-Informed Approaches for Higher Education
• Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training
• Recovery Ally

Faculty who complete all three workshops within two consecutive semesters will proudly earn the Mental Health and Well-Being Competency Certificate of Completion. The QPR training additionally confers a nationally accredited QPR Gatekeeper Certificate and digital badge. Any faculty member at USC-Columbia, Palmetto College regional campuses or USC Schools of Medicine (Greenville and Columbia) are eligible.

Those who have started the MHWB Certificate but have not yet completed it will still have the opportunity to do so.

• If you have not completed Support Zone 1 or 2, you will now need to take Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training, which replaces Support Zone.
• If you have not completed Resilience in the Classroom, you will need to take Compassionate Classrooms: Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices, which replaces Resilience in the Classroom.

Workshops Offered Spring 2026

Expand allJAN 22 — Recovery Ally

Thursday, January 22, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person

Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty, and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct people to recovery resources at USC.

Recovery Ally workshops are presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and a one-hour in-person session. Please review the recorded content prior to your scheduled workshop session.  Register

FEB 10 — Recovery Ally

Tuesday, February 10, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person

Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty, and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct people to recovery resources at USC.

Recovery Ally workshops are presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and a one-hour in-person session. Please review the recorded content prior to your scheduled workshop session.  Register

FEB 18 — Teaching with Compassion: Trauma-Informed Approaches for Higher Education

Wednesday, February 18, 10:50am - 11:40am - In-Person

As part of the Compassionate Carolina initiative, this workshop helps faculty and teaching assistants build classrooms grounded in care, connection, and courage. Participants will learn how trauma impacts student learning and behavior, and explore practical, trauma-informed strategies to promote psychological safety, inclusion, and resilience—for both students and themselves. Register

MAR 24 — Recovery Ally

Tuesday, March 24, 10:50am - 11:20am - In-Person

Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty, and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct people to recovery resources at USC.

Recovery Ally workshops are presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and a one-hour in-person session. Please review the recorded content prior to your scheduled workshop session.  Register

APR 16— Recovery Ally

Thursday, April 16, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person

Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty, and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct people to recovery resources at USC.

Recovery Ally workshops are presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and a one-hour in-person session. Please review the recorded content prior to your scheduled workshop session.  Register

APR 23 — Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training

Thursday, April 23, 11:40am - 12:55pm - In-Person

This Compassionate Carolina workshop teaches participants how to recognize warning signs of suicide and respond with care, confidence, and connection. The QPR model equips faculty and staff to support students in distress and foster a culture of compassion and safety throughout the Carolina community.  Register

Elective Workshops Offered Spring 2026

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

This interactive certification course is designed for students, faculty, and staff to learn how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. Participants will build skills to provide initial support to someone in crisis and connect them to appropriate care. Sessions are offered in person, with class sizes limited to 5–25 participants. 

Mental Health First Aid training will be offered throughout the academic year. Please visit Counseling and Psychology Services (CAPS) to register. If you would like to request QPR or MHFA training for your department, please email shwbmentalhealth@mailbox.sc.edu.

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How to Earn a Certificate of Completion

1. Select a certificate you want to earn.
2. Review the required workshops.
3. Register for and attend all required workshops within the time frame specified.
4. Look for an email from cte@sc.edu with your digital certificate.

How to Check Your Progress

Participants can check their progress online by following the steps below. 

1. Log into Registration and Tracking System for Workshops and Events using your CTE Training Account credentials.
2. Click on the specific learning plan for the certificate of completion program you would like to view.  The learning plan button is located on the left-hand side in the menu screen.
3. Click “View” to generate a personalized learning plan status report. The report will show the workshops you have taken, and remaining workshop requirements.

The learning plans also provide a status progress update. 

• Partial means you have met some of the requirements for a specific certificate of completion program.
• Complete means you have met all the requirements for a specific certificate of completion program.
• Not Started means you have not completed any of the requirements for a specific certificate of completion program.

Completed your certificate?

At the conclusion of each semester, reports are run to determine who has completed each certificate. Digital Certificates will be emailed. If you do not receive your certificate by the middle of the following semester, kindly contact cte@sc.edu for assistance.