Project Purpose

The Behavioral Healthcare Organizations (BHOs) in Ohio are working to demonstrate the competitive level of the skills and competencies of their workforce, particularly the 24/7 Therapeutic Program Workers, in an industry environment increasingly calling for higher academic credentialing of the workforce. A large percentage of these workers have been employees of the BHOs for many years, and although not all of them have academic credentials, they have a wealth of experience working with the patient populations typically served through the BHO system in Ohio. In an effort to recognize both the value of experienced, competent workers and the importance of standardized education and training for BHO employees, the Workforce Development Steering Committee of the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) and the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA) offer three courses through community colleges aimed specifically at BHO employees interested in higher education. Center for Healthy Communities faculty from Sinclair Community College and Wright State University teamed up to develop the curriculum which is now offered in community colleges across the state.

Course offerings are currently conducted through the Union Educational Trust managed by OCSEA. Click on this link for more information about the curricular development project. Click on the titles below for the report:

Therapeutic Program Worker Training Curricular Demonstration Pilot Evaluation Report

Therapeutic Program Worker Training Curricular Demonstration Pilot Evaluation Report 2006-2007