Behavioral health workforce education and training program for paraprofessionals - north central missouri college's (ncmc's) project is designed to increase rural community-based, experiential,…

Behavioral health workforce education and training program for paraprofessionals - north central missouri college's (ncmc's) project is designed to increase rural community-based, experiential, team-based training opportunities for degree-seeking students in the associate of applied science-behavioral health (AAS-BH) program and non-degree seeking trainees in ncmc's community health worker (CHW) program. The project will also increase the number of completers in these two behavioral health (BH) programs. These programs equip completers with the skills, knowledge, and capacity to become community support specialists, behavioral health support workers, peer support specialists, or other behavioral health paraprofessionals; or to become non-licensed supportive public health workers who can advance awareness and knowledge about behavioral health in the community at large. These programs have a special focus on understanding the needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth who have previously experienced trauma and are at risk for behavioral health (BH) disorders including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder (SUD). Ultimately, ncmc will enhance the quality and accessibility of BH services in north and northwest missouri by expanding the behavioral health workforce pipeline in high-need, high-demand areas. The shortage of BH resources is one of the most pressing issues in north and northwest missouri's healthcare system. These resources have long been insufficient to meet the community's needs. Ncmc's campus locations serve 17 counties in north and northwest missouri, 16 of which comprise what is commonly referred to as "the northwest missouri health care system". Fifteen (15) of these counties are hrsa-designated rural counties, and 16 are designated medically underserved areas/population (MUA/p). Ncmc is seeking $1,379,078 in federal funds to expand the capacity of the AAS-BHS and CHW training programs. Both programs provide important paraprofessional BH positions that are needed locally in schools, community-based organizations (cbos), local public health departments (lphd), hospitals, primary care offices, BH specialist offices, juvenile services, and SUD treatment agencies. Ncmc anticipates adding school-based health services sites during the grant period. Over the four-year project period, ncmc will increase the number of paraprofessional graduates and certified chws by 102. Completers will receive training regarding the specific needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth in this high-need, high-demand rural service area, including SUD, both didactic and experiential. Ncmc intends to heavily recruit candidates from this region, as many will not only have familiarity with the local culture, but they will also have lived experience that will help them relate to the population to be served. Funding priority 1: ncmc qualifies for priority 1: role of the family and the lived experience of the consumer and family paraprofessional partnership because IT emphasizes this role in several didactic courses and provides the student with an opportunity to understand IT in their experiential training further. Ncmc has submitted information and data to meet this requirement in attachment #8. Funding preference qualifications 1: high rate and 2: significant increase: ncmc requests these funding preferences and has submitted information and data to meet this requirement in attachment #8. Funding preference qualification 3: new programs: ncmc has graduated/completed less than three classes for their CHW program, meets at least four of the criteria for this program, and has submitted information and data to meet this requirement in attachment #8.