LEWISTON – The Social and Behavioral Sciences Program at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College is offering several evening courses with special appeal for individuals with professional interests in counseling and human services.

Three of the courses, meeting once a week from 7 to 9:30 p.m., will begin the week of Jan. 14. They are:

“Responding to Mental Health Crises in the Community,” Wednesdays, taught by Laurie Cyr-Martel. Author of a related book, “Responding to Emotionally Distressed Individuals: A Manual for Law Enforcement,” Cyr-Martel is crisis intervention specialist for the Lewiston Police Department. She has a master’s in applied psychology, with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling, from Antioch/New England.

“Counseling and Psychotherapy,” Tuesdays, taught by Dr. Arthur DiRocco. A school psychologist with assessment and clinical experience, DiRocco directs the day treatment program for the Arundel schools.

He serves as a consultant to several school districts in southern Maine, child residential programs, adult MR services, both juvenile and adult courts and other state agencies. He maintains a private practice, with specialization in individual and family counseling as well as psychoeducational and forensic evaluations.

“Approaches to Individual Differences in Children and Adolescence,” Thursdays, taught by Dr. Robert Small. Clinical director of USM’s university health and clinical services, Small earlier was clinical director at Spurwink and at the former Jackson Brook Institute. In addition, he has held varied clinical positions at Tri-County Mental Health Services.

Another course that may be of interest from a counseling and human services perspective, “Hate Violence in America” will be offered by Stephen Wessler, Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

An attorney, Wessler is the executive director of USM’s Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence, which develops and implements programs in schools, colleges and communities to prevent bias, prejudice, harassment and violence and engages in advocacy to prevent bias motivated violence.

The SBS degree program, offered exclusively at USM LAC, combines perspectives from psychology, sociology and anthropology as it prepares students for careers in social services, mental health, law and public policy, early childhood care and education.

For more information about the courses or the SBS program, call the college’s student services office at 753-6500. A complete list of all courses being offered at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College is available on http://usm.maine.edu/lac/.