resources
CONVENING, SELECTING, AND DISSEMINATING BEST PRACTICES IN CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: A Blueprint to Support Cross-Disciplinary Development of NH’s Workforce, 2017-2022
Lead Organization: NH Children’s Behavioral Health Collaborative
NH DSRIP DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM Behavioral Health Workforce Capacity Strategic Plan, 2017
Lead Organization: Behavioral Health Workforce Development Taskforce of the statewide Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) of the NH Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Demonstration Program
Description: One of the DSRIP projects, A1: Behavioral Health Workforce Capacity Development, is intended to increase community based behavioral health service capacity through the education, recruitment, and training of a professional, allied-health, and peer workforce with knowledge and skills to provide and coordinate the full continuum of behavioral health services. The IDNs created a taskforce and a strategic plan to guide this process.
Contact: Peter Evers, Region 2 Managing CEO, pevers@riverbendcmhc.org
NH CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CORE COMPENTENCIES, 2016
Lead Organization: NH Children’s Behavioral Health Workforce Development Network
Description: The New Hampshire Children’s Behavioral Health Core Competencies are the first step in developing a systematic and comprehensive human resources development infrastructure. The mental health needs of children and families are becoming more and more complex, and there are increased demands on the system to implement evidence-supported practices, be more accountable for service provision and treatment outcomes, be more efficient, and shift from agency-driven treatment to family-centered, youth-driven care. To meet these needs, the Children’s Directors from New Hampshire’s 10 community mental health centers are working together to develop and implement a set of core competencies designed to enhance the ability of the workforce to provide evidence-informed and best practices in children’s mental health.
Contact: JoAnne Malloy, Research Associate Professor, JoAnne.Malloy@unh.edu, 603-228-2084
IMPROVING CHILD & COMMUNITY HEALTH: Addressing Workforce Challenges in Our Community Mental Health Centers, 2016
Lead Organization: NH Endowment for Health
Description: The Workforce Development Network of the NH Children’s Behavioral Health Collaborative, in conjunction with the Endowment for Health, the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, and Antal Consulting, LLC, undertook a study to better understand the issue of staff turnover among child serving staff in community mental health centers and to provide the state and individual centers with recommendations on improving staff retention. This research provides a strong launching point, both for immediate action and planning for the long-term stability of the mental health workforce.
Contact: Joanne Malloy, Clinical Assistant Professor, JoAnne.Malloy@unh.edu, 603-228-2084
THE IMPACT OF STATE HEALTH POLICIES ON INTEGRATED CARE AT HEALTH CENTERS, 2016
Lead Organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
Description: This paper explores the myriad opportunities and barriers at the federal, state, payer, and provider levels around the adoption of an integrated health care model. The discussion identifies state initiatives that have either enabled or discouraged the implementation of an integrated care approach, as well as recommendations based on feedback from the field and literature.
THE STATE OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE: A LITERATURE REVIEW, 2016
Lead Organization: American Hospital Association (AHA)
Description: A broad, systematic literature review on the state of the behavioral health workforce in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing hospitals and health systems, and begin to find new ways to build capacity for the future. This literature review underscored a critical issue and revealed new findings – that is, in order to meet the growing need and demand for behavioral health care, hospitals and health systems must rethink, then redesign, the delivery of behavioral health care across the care continuum.
CORE COMPETENCIES FOR LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS, 2015
Lead Organization: NH DHHS-DBH-BDAS
Description: DHHS worked with external stakeholders to develop a summary of core competencies for licensed mental health practitioners providing substance use disorder treatment services. In addition, through our contracted training and technical assistance provider, we are offering trainings to help these practitioners achieve the core competencies.
Contact: Alisa Druzba, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, Alisa.Druzba@dhhs.nh.gov, 603-271-5934
Lead Organization: Antioch University New England and the Center for Behavioral Health Innovation
Description: This project was designed to fill IBH workforce- related knowledge gaps, to inform a NH IBH workforce development plan. First, they sought to better understand the current and future workforce needs of primary care settings, with a focus on safety net providers (i.e., Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics). Second, they assessed the extent to which NH-based training institutions are preparing their students for IBH roles in primary care. Finally, they leveraged the scholarly literature, the Cherokee report, and their findings to develop a NH-based IBH workforce development plan.
Contact: Alexander Blount, EdD, Center for Behavioral Health Innovation, Antioch University New England, Email: ablount@antioch.edu
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH COMPENTENCIES, 2011
Lead Organization: NH Association for Infant Mental Health
Description: The New Hampshire Association for Infant Mental Health is pleased to provide the following professional competencies related to early childhood and family mental health. These professional competencies are intended to guide the preparation and ongoing professional development of service providers in various fields who have a role in supporting families with young children. The skills and knowledge necessary for promoting the social and emotional development of children and for recognizing and addressing mental health issues are the purview of multiple disciplines. Ellyn Schreiber is the contact person.
Contact: Ellyn Schreiber, Director, Riverbend Children’s Intervention Program, eschreiber@riverbendcmhc.org
Commissions, Boards, Committees
Lead Organization: Center on Aging and Community Living (CACL), University of New Hampshire (UNH)
Description: The Alliance for Healthy Aging (AHA) is a statewide collaboration of numerous community partners working together to address the issues of an aging NH. AHA's vision: NH's communities advance culture, policies, and services which support older adults and their families, providing a wide range of choices that advance health, independence and dignity. AHA's workforce strategy is to: "Improve the availability of quality healthcare and social service workforces." Initial efforts are focused on the following strategies: 1. "Policy makers and stakeholders have an awareness of direct care workforce shortage and AHA's strategic area goal"; and 2. "Connect with workforce efforts in NH and deliver AHA's messaging priorities."
Contact: Laura Davie, Chair, Workforce Group, Alliance for Healthy Aging, laura.davie@unh.edu, 603.862.3682
COMMISSION ON PRIMARY CARE WORKFORCE ISSUES
Lead Organization: NH House of Representatives
Electronic Citation: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/statstudcomm/committees/152/
Description: The commission plans and advocates for policy changes related to maintaining and strengthening an effective primary care workforce in NH, with special concern for rural and other underserved areas. The Commission’s duties include: I. Reviewing the impact of existing policies related to strengthening NH's primary care workforce and making recommendations relative to appropriate use of funds for training, education, and recruitment; II. Assessing the degree to which insurers, managed care organizations, and state and federal payment sources present inequities and problems regarding payment for primary care services which may serve as a barrier for attracting and retaining the providers necessary for network adequacy; III. Collecting and reviewing data and information that informs decisions and planning for the primary care workforce and looking for innovative ways for expanding the state's primary care resources including, but not limited to, interstate collaboration; IV. Assembling and including in its annual report, required under RSA 126-T:4, data on the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of primary care in NH, with special attention to rural and underserved areas of the state.
Contact: Laurie Harding, Chair, lharding0625@gmail.com, 603-667-7734
GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON HEALTH CARE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT WORKFORCE
Lead Organization: Office of the Governor/DHHS
Description: Governor Hassan established the Commission to bring together experts from the State’s health care, developmental and long-term care services, child and elderly care, and education communities to make recommendations for addressing New Hampshire’s short- and long-term health care and direct support workforce needs.
Contact: Leslie Melby, Special Projects Administrator, Leslie.Melby@dhhs.nh.gov, 603-271-9074
MONADNOCK REGION HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE GROUP
Lead Organization: Cheshire County
Description: Cheshire/Monadnock area initiative was created to increase the pool of individuals available for healthcare positions in the Monadnock region and NH and to reduce barriers to their successful employment. Concerns include the loss of LPN programs throughout the state and nursing licensure delays.
Contact: Cathy Gray, Chair, Monadnock Initiative and President/CEO, Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities, cgray@cedarcrest4kids.org, 603.358.3384
NH SECTOR PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE (SPI), HEALTHCARE SECTOR/NH STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
Lead Organization: NH Works, Office of Workforce Opportunity, Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED)
Description: The NH SPI seeks to facilitate a new, industry-driven statewide initiative to help healthcare organizations address their workforce needs, while also helping workers prepare for and advance in careers in the industry. This innovative public/private collaboration seeks to coordinate and streamline existing efforts to minimize the time commitment of business and maximize action and workforce solutions.
Contact: Phil Pryzbyszewski, Workforce Solutions Project Director, Community College System of NH (CCSNH), pprzybyszewski@ccsnh.edu, 603-206-8185
WORKFORCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Lead Organization: SPARK NH
Description: Spark NH is an early childhood advisory council created to promote a comprehensive system of early childhood programs and services in New Hampshire. Spark NH's Workforce and Professional Development Committee develops recommendations and implementation plans to enhance NH’s capacity for the recruitment, retention, advancement, and support of qualified professionals across early childhood programs via education, training, and credentialing.
Contact: Tessa McDonnell or Farrah Deselle, Committee Chairpersons, tessamcd@comcast.net or fdeselle@CMC-NH.org, 603-226-7900
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WAGE INCREASE CONTRACT AMENDMENT
Lead Organization: NH DHHS - Department of Behavioral Health (BH), Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services (BDAS)
Description: This initiative increased contracted provider service rates with the express requirement that these increased rates be passed on in the form of wage increases for direct services staff. The amendment applied only to the fifteen Treatment and Recovery Support Services contracts managed by BDAS.
Contact: Jaime Powers, Clinical Services Unit Administrator, DHHS-DBH-BDAS, jaime.powers@dhhs.nh.gov, 603-271-6108
Programs, Resources, Training
CENTER FOR INTEGRATED HEALTH SOLUTIONS (CIHS)
Lead Organization: SAMHSA-HRSA
Description: Center for Integration Health Solutions (CIHS) promotes the development of integrated primary and behavioral health services to better address the needs of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions, whether seen in specialty behavioral health or primary care provider settings. CIHS provides training and technical assistance to community behavioral health organizations, community health centers, and other primary care and behavioral health organizations.
CENTER FOR INTEGRATED PRIMARY CARE
Lead Organization: University of Massachusetts Medical School
Description: Center for Integration Primary Care provides training for behavioral health clinicians, care managers and primary care physicians and administrators designed to enable them to be competent at delivering medical and behavioral health care as part of a team in primary care. All training is available over the internet. Training has been continually, evaluated, updated and improved since 2007.
Contact: Daniel Mullin, PsyD., Director, Email: CIPC@umassmed.edu
INTEGRATED CARE PRACTICUM GRANT
Lead Organization: Center for Behavioral Health Innovation, Antioch University, Keene
Description: In September 2016, the Antioch GPE (Graduate Psychology Education) program received federal funding from the Health Research and Services Administration under a three-year grant fund for multiple primary care sites and two dozen student stipends to develop integrated care practicum training opportunities.
Contact: Alexander Blount, Principal Investigator, ablount@antioch.edu
Lead Organization: Center on Aging and Community Living
Description: Through DirectConnect, an interactive career guide was created to provide awareness and career guidance to those interested in starting or growing their career in direct care. The Direct Care Career Guide is an easy-to-use interactive career resource tool for individuals interested in entering the direct-care field or advancing their career in direct care. The guide identifies direct-care career opportunities tailored to fit individual needs, preferences, and career aspirations.
Contact: cacl.chhs@unh.edu, 603.228.2084
Medical Assistant (MA) Accelerator Program
Lead Organization: Exeter Health Resources and Great Bay Community College
Description: This training program is a partnership between Exeter Health Resources (EHR) and Great Bay Community College to address the workforce shortage via their Medical Assistant (MA) Accelerator Program, an 8-week program training students who are immediately work-ready for jobs at EHR. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the clinical MA certification exam. As an incentive, for those who secure employment through Exeter's Core Physicians, 60% of tuition will be paid and students will receive base pay and eligible benefits during the program. Students make a 2-year commitment of employment.
Contact: Chris Callahan, VP, Human Resources, ccallahan@ehr.org, 603-778-7311
NEW HAMPSHIRE - VERMONT RECRUITMENT CENTER
Lead Organization: Bi-State Primary Care Association
Description: The New Hampshire Vermont Recruitment Center, a service of Bi-State Primary Care Association, is the only non-profit recruitment resource in New Hampshire and Vermont for health care professionals. Its mission is to recruit and retain primary care providers in New Hampshire and Vermont with emphasis on the needs of medically underserved areas and populations. They recruit physicians, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and substance use disorder treatment providers.
Contact: Stephanie Pagliuca, Recruitment Center Director, Bi-State Primary Care Association, Spagliuca@bistatepca.org, 603-228-2830 x111
NH AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER (North/South)
Lead Organization: NH Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
Description: AHECs play a significant role in building workforce while collaborating with community partners to continually improve the quality of the healthcare system for the future. NH AHECs aim to: 1. Meet the increasing demands for an adequate healthcare workforce; particularly in primary care; 2. Improve the distribution of health professions workforce particularly in rural and underserved areas; 3. Foster a diverse health professions workforce; 4. Prepare health professionals to expand collaborative practice and team-based models of care; and 5. Promote innovative care delivery models that achieve more efficient and effective patient-centered care, improve professional satisfaction and retention of providers, and improve workforce capacity and care quality.
Contact: Kristina Fjeld-Sparks, Director, NH AHEC, Kristina.E.Fjeld-Sparks@Dartmouth.edu, 603.646.3315
NH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION LEARNING COLLABORATIVE
Lead Organization: Citizens Health Initiative
Description: CHI's Behavioral Health Integration Learning Collaborative (BHI LC) focuses on the integration of behavioral health in the primary care setting with a focus on depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders as they present in primary care. The BHI LC hosts in-person, webinar, and conference calls for content, information, and data sharing, and peer support; delving into topics such as different BHI models, Payment, Health Information Technology Integration. and Using Data to Track Outcomes.
Contact: Jeanne Ryer, Director, Jeanne.Ryer@unh.edu, 603- 513-5126
PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
Lead Organization: NH BDAS
Description: A community of practice (COP) convenes a group of individuals interested in a similar topic to share knowledge, information and experiences in an effort to learn more about a topic and to improve current practices. The Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) COP is focused on identifying standards for PRSS, implementing the systematic application of these standards and improving quality of services. This COP is managed by the Center for Excellence and all of the Recovery Community Organizations in contract with BDAS or sub-contracted with the PRSS Facilitating Organization are required to participate in it.
Contact: Lindy Keller, Resources and Development Administrator, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, Lindy.Keller@dhhs.nh.gov, 603.271.6114
Lead Organization: Collaborative effort of the Massachusetts PCA Quality Home Care Workforce Council, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Center for Health Policy and Research, New Jersey Division of Disability Services, Connecticut Department of Developmental Services, Rhode Island Department of Human Services and Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living. It has been funded, in part, by New England States Consortium Systems Organization.
Description: The goal of Rewarding Work is to give people who need support with daily activities choice and control in finding personal assistants. The Rewarding Work Website and related recruitment campaign has been cited as a "Promising Practice" by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Contact: Elenore M. Parker, President, 1-866-212-9675
SAMHSA/NAADAC Forums & Webinars
Lead Organization: NAADAC, Association for Addiction Professionals, and SAMHSA
Description: NAADAC and SAMHSA's Regional Administrators to their Single State Authorities (SSAs) have joined forces to reach out to build awareness and educate freshman and sophomore college/university students about the benefits and opportunities in the substance use and mental health disorder professions in the hope of increasing the number of college/university students choosing to enter the behavioral health field and specializing in these disciplines.
Contact: Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, Executive Director, NAADAC, cynthia@naadac.org, 703-741-7686 x119
STATE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM (SLRP)
Lead Organization: NH DHHS
Description: The NH State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) provides funds to health care professionals working in areas of the State designated as being medically underserved and who are willing to commit and contract with the State for a minimum of three years (or two if part-time).
Contact: Alisa Druzba, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, Alisa.Druzba@dhhs.nh.gov, 603-271-5934
Lead Organization: Center for Excellence
Description: This contract provides training, technical assistance, program evaluation, data analysis, data interpretation, and support to the SUD workforce. Goals of the contract include "increasing the number of licensed and/or certified service providers who can deliver" SUD services and "assisting providers to build capacity."
Contact: Shannon Quinn, Contract Manager, Shannon.Quinn@dhhs.nh.gov, 603-271-5889
WORKFORCE FOR THE FUTURE-WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FORUM
Lead Organization: NAADAC and SAMHSA
Description: Four “Workforce for the Future” forums were held across the country; Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, and the Northeast (NH, RI, VT, ME, MA) with a goal to build awareness and educate freshman and sophomore college/university students about the benefits and opportunities in the substance use and mental health disorder professions in the hope of increasing the number of college/university students choosing to enter the behavioral health field and specializing in these disciplines. The Northeast forum broadened our audience by including the recovery community in an effort to reach more individuals who may be interested in learning more about these fields, but who may not currently be enrolled in a college program. NH, RI, VT, ME, and MA partnered for this event with help from the New England Institute of Addiction Studies (NEIAS) to host the Northeast Event at SNHU on Sept14, 2016. The is available online for use in future workforce development discussions at colleges and other venues.
Contact: Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, Executive Director, NAADAC, cynthia@naadac.org, 703-741-7686 x119