Welcome to CiMH’s Workforce, Education, and Training (WET) resource webpages. In November of 2004, when the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) was passed, $445.5 million were set-aside for workforce development and deployment activities, and strategies for the use of that funding were included in a WET program component. CiMH staff provides technical assistance to county behavioral health departments to support the implementation of local workforce development and deployment programs, and ensures that statewide and regional workforce programs be developed and implemented. The MHSA WET funds are intended to build infrastructure and capacity statewide for California’s public mental health workforce.
Please contact Adrienne Shilton, CiMH, with any questions:
Adrienne Shilton
Local Assistance, Workforce, Education, and Training
California Institute for Mental Health
Phone: (916) 556-3480, ext. 148
Email: ashilton@cimh.org
For more information and handouts from the CIMH County Fiscal Leadership Institutes, please visit the CIMH County Financial Leadership Institute Webpage.
What's New?
High School Mental Health Career Pathways Project in San Diego
MHSA Expenditure Report Prepared by Department of Health Care Services for the California State Legislature
MHSA WET Financial Relief Maps
CalSWEC Report on Social Work Stipend Program
OSHPD WET Presentation
California State Rural Health Association Conference Presentation, November 2012
The purpose of the presentation was to convey both state level mental health policy updates as well as a rural county perspective on the administration of mental health programs and services. Imperial County reported on their local partnerships, evidence-based practices implementation, outcomes, and challenges.
San Diego County Academy Program Highlighted
This story out of San Diego County profiles two of their community academy graduates. San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency funds an academy program administered by Alliant International University, which prepares students for employment in public mental health.
Santa Barbara Training Program Recognized
CMHDA Presents on Workforce, Education and Training at MHSOAC Meeting
San Diego High School Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
Students in San Diego County's high school mental health career pathway program developed two public serivce announcements targeted toward teens to address awareness and stigma of mental health.
Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development: Update on WET Transition
Contra Costa County Awarded OSHPD Grant for Health Career Exploration
Partnering with Dozier Libbey Medical High School, Vicente Martinez High School and Pinole Valley High School (health academy programs in Contra Costa County), Contra Costa County is planning to adopt a core mental health curriculum which will be used to develop and integrate a mental health concentration in the identified high school health programs. By developing a mental health concentration in these high school health academies, Contra Costa County will be able to directly engage high school students in the mental health field and begin to form a career ladder for them into the public mental health system.
2012 Mental Health Loan Assumption Program News
Presentation From National Rural Mental Health Association Conference: May 2012
This conference provides a unique opportunity to expand knowledge of rural and frontier behavioral health, highlight innovative practices and research in rural communities, and promote networking opportunities between people committed to rural behavioral health. Following is one presentation from the conference offering valuable information about rural behavioral health care.
Mental Health First Aid Outcomes Report in the Central Region of California
The Central Region WET Partnership funded two Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor Courses in the fall of 2010. Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based program, which uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis, select interventions, and provide initial help. The report describes the MHFA training program and the outcomes to date in the central region.
Dr. Wayne Clark's Op-Ed in the Monterey Herald
Dr. Wayne Clark, Mental Health Director in Monterey County, discusses the new MSW program at CSU, Monterey Bay. MHSA funds paved the way for this new program, which is having a direct impact on the mental health workforce for Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties.
CalSWEC WET Plan Preliminary Findings Report
The California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) Mental Health Program has completed an analysis of county workforce, education and training plans. Staff reviewed documents to identify how counties originally planned to use WET funds in the funding categories of internships and financial incentive programs, and what programmatic "themes" in these categories are emerging regarding strategies for mental health workforce development, including social work. The report below contains their recommendations.
California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC) Online Modules
CAPIC has developed a variety of online training modules, funded through their Department of Mental Health MHSA contract.
Occupational Analyses
New Occupational Analyses compiling functions, duties, and tasks have been completed for the following jobs in public mental health: