Project Description:
The mental health system in Alaska has become increasingly reliant on institutional care for treatment of children and youth with severe emotional disturbances. From FY98 to FY03 the number of children and youth receiving treatment in out-of-state institutions grew by nearly 700%. The State of Alaska, key stakeholders in mental health, and families have been working with Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority to spur on a Bring The Kids Home initiative. This initiative addresses building behavioral health service system capacity, reforming the children?s behavioral health system, refocusing State resources toward home and community-based services, and developing reimbursement mechanisms to sustain an in-state continuum of care.
A significant problem is that Alaskan community service agencies experience severe shortages of workers trained in residential behavioral health care for children and youth. A set of behavioral health competencies for Residential Service careers has been established, forming the basis for five distance delivered behavioral health courses (15 credit hours) that will comprise a Residential Services Certificate Program. Even with this distance delivered program, rural Alaska Native residents face a myriad of barriers to entering and succeeding in post-secondary education. Barriers include the increasing expense of college; student isolation; reduced, outdated, or unsuccessful experience with formal education; long distances from urban centers and resources; and clashes between Native and academic cultures.
The Center for Human Development at the University of Alaska Anchorage and RurAL CAP, a non-profit Native organization as defined in the Alaska Native Educational Equity, Support, and Assistance Act, Sec. 7306(2) (see Part 6: Supporting Documentation) propose to build on past successes supporting rural Alaska Native students in distance education programs and effectively address these barriers. The project will manage culturally appropriate distance delivered courses, a scholarship program, and other student support services. Courses required for Residential Services certification will be delivered to rural sites, beginning with two sites in year one and adding two new sites per year. It is expected a total of 120 students will be served by the project. Of these, it is anticipated 60 students will complete certification within the three year project period and another 30 will go on to earn certification in the year following the project. Rural residents earning the Residential Services Certificate will have an advantage for employment in behavioral health care settings anywhere in the state.
In summary, the mission of the RAP Project is to help prepare rural behavioral health service providers to be qualified for employment in residential behavioral health settings serving children and youth, by increasing Alaska Native and rural access to, and success in, a Residential Services Certificate Program. Goals of the proposed RAP Project:
Goal 1: Increase skills and competencies of pre-service and/or in-service Residential Behavioral Health Paraprofessionals supporting Alaskan children and youth who exhibit significant challenging behaviors or severe emotional disturbance.
Goal 2: Support Alaska Native students and others under the Act?s priorities to successfully complete college courses and certification requirements for Residential Behavioral Health careers.
Goal 3: Partner and collaborate with stakeholders dedicated to providing Behavioral Health Professionals who can support Alaskan children and youth with significant emotional disturbance, the targets of the Bring The Kids Home initiative.
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote
