OverviewDirect care personnel without advanced professional degrees comprise a substantial amount of active client care staff in mental health organizations throughout the nation. However, issues related to the qualifications, training, and ongoing evaluation of the competencies of this important provider group have received scant attention in the mental health field.
Orientation and training programs for these individuals, who are sometimes referred to as paraprofessionals, psychiatric technicians, psychiatric aides, or mental health workers, are insufficient in some settings and appear to be eroding due to budgetary pressures in behavioral health organizations. The frequency of staff turnover within the mental health system makes the training needs for this group of even greater concern.
In Curriculum Resources for Training Direct Care Providers In Public Sector Mental Health, the authors identify and review curriculum resources available to mental health organizations interested in implementing or enhancing training programs for direct care personnel. These include two relevant competency sets and six portable training curricula. Information on how to access these resources is provided.
ResourcesCurriculum Resources for Training Direct Care Providers In Public Sector Mental Health
Thomas H. Styron, Matthew Shaw, Ebony McDuffie, & Michael A. Hoge
Direct Care Curriculum
