The Annapolis Coalition - Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The Annapolis Coalition is a not-for-profit organization committed to improving the recruitment, retention, and training of the workforce for prevention and treatment of mental and substance use conditions. It is the most widely recognized policy and consultation organization on these issues, having consulted to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and to the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Crossing the Quality Chasm: Adaptation to Mental Health and Addictive Disorders. With support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Coalition recently engaged over 5000 stakeholders in the behavioral health field to develop the national Action Plan on Behavioral Health Workforce Development. The Coalition’s Board of Directors and National Steering Committee include many of the nation’s foremost experts in workforce development in behavioral health. The Coalition’s staff have extensive experience in managing state agencies and non-profit provider systems, and have consulted widely on workforce development.

The Annapolis Coalition is uniquely positioned to provide assistance to states and organizations on workforce development issues. It can craft a technical assistance plan tailored to the unique needs of any state agency, territory, county, or non-profit provider organization. Below are available services that might serve as elements of a technical assistance plan.

Senior Level Briefings on the National Action Plan.   The Coalition provides detailed briefings on the national Action Plan to senior managers within state, county and local governments and the non-profit agencies that these governments fund. The plan outlines a clear set of strategic goals, objectives, and action steps that can inform and guide the workforce efforts within any state. As part of this process, the Coalition can facilitate discussions among stakeholders about the implications of the plan’s recommendations for the unique characteristics that define the local environment.

Workforce Planning. The Coalition can assist any state or non-profit organization in developing a workforce strategic plan to address local needs. It can staff the entire process of plan development or provide more limited technical assistance at critical junctures in the planning process. As the cornerstones of its workforce planning approach, the Coalition emphasizes consensus building with key stakeholders and the adoption of best practices on recruitment, retention, education, and training.

Workforce Improvement Collaboratives. A State Learning Collaborative was launched by the Annapolis Coalition in 2006. This successfully brought a number of state agencies together to share information on workforce challenges and innovative workforce interventions. Drawing on this experience, the Coalition can organize Workforce Improvement Collaboratives within a state or region, connecting leaders and managers from similar organizations in a learning community in which participants jointly receive technical assistance of workforce planning and intervention and also learn from each other about practical workforce strategies.   This is an economical approach to improving workforce development efforts in multiple organizations.

Specific Workforce Interventions. The Coalition can assist in developing and implementing specific interventions on almost any aspect of workforce recruitment, retention, education, and training. The organization emphasizes effectiveness and cost efficiency in its approach.

Competency Development & Assessment. Key elements of workforce improvement involve (1) identifying the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for selected positions, (2) building those competencies within the workforce, and (3) devising methods to assess individuals on these competencies. The Coalition convened the first national summit on competency development in behavioral health, has produced a comprehensive overview of behavioral health competencies, generated recommendations to guide future competency initiatives, and has the capacity to assist any state or organization in developing competency models and competency assessment tools.

Workforce Data Collection & Quality Improvement Processes. The national Action Plan recommends that every state and organization make workforce issues a centerpiece of their continuous quality improvement efforts. The collection of relevant workforce data is an essential element of this improvement process. The Coalition consults to organizations on the optimal elements of such data sets and the use of workforce data in quality improvement initiatives.

Improving the Effectiveness of Training. There is compelling evidence that most training initiatives are ineffective in that they do not lead participants to change their practice patterns. There is a robust body of knowledge about “evidence-based” teaching practices. The Coalition draws on this knowledge in providing professional development for educators and trainers in order to enhance the effectiveness of their work. A Workforce Improvement Collaborative focused on training effectiveness is a potential model for working with educators and trainers.

As the workforce crisis in behavioral health grows ever more severe, there are a broad range of problems and issues that require urgent attention. The technical assistance capacities outlined above can include a focus on a diverse array of specific topics, which include, but are not limited to the following:

Bringing persons in recovery and family members into the workforce

Building the capacity of community coalitions.

Strengthening the skills of supervisors

Leadership development

Training direct care, paraprofessional staff

Implementation of evidence-based practices

Building workforce competencies to care for persons across the lifespan.

Recruitment of a culturally & linguistically diverse workforce

Rural workforce development strategies

The behavioral health workforce is at the center of almost every effort to transform systems, improve quality, and manage costs. Thus, there is tremendous value in focused efforts to strengthen the workforce. The staff members of the Annapolis Coalition would be happy to discuss the particular needs of any government agency or service organization and to develop a proposal to meet those needs. A one-hour phone consultation is available without charge to begin the discussion.

For further information contact:



John A. Morris, M.S.W.

Executive Director

jmorris@tacinc.org

803.708.4030

Michael A. Hoge, Ph.D.

Senior Science and Policy Advisor

michael.hoge@yale.edu

203.785.5629

Kappy Madenwald, M.S.W.

Senior Advisor

kappy1@gmail.com

614.506.6746

Annie McManis
Director of Operations
amcmanis@annapoliscoalition.com
513.404.3232


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	Home About Us Action Plan Core Competencies Behavioral Health Pacesetter Award Governance Publications Presentations E-News Technical Assistance Links Innovation Register for Updates Special Topics Contact Us Join our mailing list	Technical Assistance WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE The Annapolis Coalition is a not-for-profit organization committed to improving the recruitment, retention, and training of the workforce for prevention and treatment of mental and substance use conditions. It is the most widely recognized policy and consultation organization on these issues, having consulted to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and to the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Crossing the Quality Chasm: Adaptation to Mental Health and Addictive Disorders. With support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Coalition recently engaged over 5000 stakeholders in the behavioral health field to develop the national Action Plan on Behavioral Health Workforce Development. The Coalition’s Board of Directors and National Steering Committee include many of the nation’s foremost experts in workforce development in behavioral health. The Coalition’s staff have extensive experience in managing state agencies and non-profit provider systems, and have consulted widely on workforce development. The Annapolis Coalition is uniquely positioned to provide assistance to states and organizations on workforce development issues. It can craft a technical assistance plan tailored to the unique needs of any state agency, territory, county, or non-profit provider organization. Below are available services that might serve as elements of a technical assistance plan. Senior Level Briefings on the National Action Plan. The Coalition provides detailed briefings on the national Action Plan to senior managers within state, county and local governments and the non-profit agencies that these governments fund. The plan outlines a clear set of strategic goals, objectives, and action steps that can inform and guide the workforce efforts within any state. As part of this process, the Coalition can facilitate discussions among stakeholders about the implications of the plan’s recommendations for the unique characteristics that define the local environment. Workforce Planning. The Coalition can assist any state or non-profit organization in developing a workforce strategic plan to address local needs. It can staff the entire process of plan development or provide more limited technical assistance at critical junctures in the planning process. As the cornerstones of its workforce planning approach, the Coalition emphasizes consensus building with key stakeholders and the adoption of best practices on recruitment, retention, education, and training. Workforce Improvement Collaboratives. A State Learning Collaborative was launched by the Annapolis Coalition in 2006. This successfully brought a number of state agencies together to share information on workforce challenges and innovative workforce interventions. Drawing on this experience, the Coalition can organize Workforce Improvement Collaboratives within a state or region, connecting leaders and managers from similar organizations in a learning community in which participants jointly receive technical assistance of workforce planning and intervention and also learn from each other about practical workforce strategies. This is an economical approach to improving workforce development efforts in multiple organizations. Specific Workforce Interventions. The Coalition can assist in developing and implementing specific interventions on almost any aspect of workforce recruitment, retention, education, and training. The organization emphasizes effectiveness and cost efficiency in its approach. Competency Development & Assessment. Key elements of workforce improvement involve (1) identifying the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for selected positions, (2) building those competencies within the workforce, and (3) devising methods to assess individuals on these competencies. The Coalition convened the first national summit on competency development in behavioral health, has produced a comprehensive overview of behavioral health competencies, generated recommendations to guide future competency initiatives, and has the capacity to assist any state or organization in developing competency models and competency assessment tools. Workforce Data Collection & Quality Improvement Processes. The national Action Plan recommends that every state and organization make workforce issues a centerpiece of their continuous quality improvement efforts. The collection of relevant workforce data is an essential element of this improvement process. The Coalition consults to organizations on the optimal elements of such data sets and the use of workforce data in quality improvement initiatives. Improving the Effectiveness of Training. There is compelling evidence that most training initiatives are ineffective in that they do not lead participants to change their practice patterns. There is a robust body of knowledge about “evidence-based” teaching practices. The Coalition draws on this knowledge in providing professional development for educators and trainers in order to enhance the effectiveness of their work. A Workforce Improvement Collaborative focused on training effectiveness is a potential model for working with educators and trainers. As the workforce crisis in behavioral health grows ever more severe, there are a broad range of problems and issues that require urgent attention. The technical assistance capacities outlined above can include a focus on a diverse array of specific topics, which include, but are not limited to the following: Bringing persons in recovery and family members into the workforce Building the capacity of community coalitions. Strengthening the skills of supervisors Leadership development Training direct care, paraprofessional staff Implementation of evidence-based practices Building workforce competencies to care for persons across the lifespan. Recruitment of a culturally & linguistically diverse workforce Rural workforce development strategies The behavioral health workforce is at the center of almost every effort to transform systems, improve quality, and manage costs. Thus, there is tremendous value in focused efforts to strengthen the workforce. The staff members of the Annapolis Coalition would be happy to discuss the particular needs of any government agency or service organization and to develop a proposal to meet those needs. A one-hour phone consultation is available without charge to begin the discussion. For further information contact: John A. Morris, M.S.W. Executive Director jmorris@tacinc.org 803.708.4030 Michael A. Hoge, Ph.D. Senior Science and Policy Advisor michael.hoge@yale.edu 203.785.5629 Kappy Madenwald, M.S.W. Senior Advisor kappy1@gmail.com 614.506.6746 Annie McManis Director of Operations amcmanis@annapoliscoalition.com 513.404.3232