Welcome to CiMH’s Workforce Education and Training (WET) resource pages. In November of 2004, when the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) was passed, $450 million were set-aside for workforce development and deployment activities, and strategies for the use of that funding were included in a Workforce Education and Training program component. CiMH staff provides technical assistance to county behavioral health departments to support the effective implementation of local workforce programs and ensures that statewide, regionally, and locally essential workforce functions be developed and implemented.
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
What's New?
CIMH Implements First Statewide Behavioral Health Fiscal Leadership Institute
CiMH launched a statewide leadership institute of county behavioral health fiscal managers in April 2012, recognizing the increasingly complex fiscal environment for county behavioral health services. The first two-day institute covered topics ranging from the evolution and policy implications of community mental health and substance use disorder finance, to health care reform implementation and leadership development. Following are the presentation materials from the institute held April 25-26, 2012:
Stay tuned for details on the next summit, planned for June 2012 in Sacramento.
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.
Mental Health Loan Assumption Program (MHLAP) Program Summary and Awardees
Of the 1208 MHLAP applications in the 2011-12 cycle, 667 were chosen for loan repayment awards across the state. The MHLAP summary statistics and awardee information are in the document below:
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.
Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities: CSRHA Conference Presentation, November 2011
The purpose of this presentation was to provide attendees information on the resulting structural changes at the state level, proposed changes to local mental health programs responsibilities brought about through Realignment II, and the essential mental health workforce development and deployment considerations.
WET Training Progress Presentation to the MHOAC: September 2011
This presentation contains information about the DMH-administered statewide initiatives, regional programs, and county perspectives and updates from the mental health directors in San Bernardino and Butte.
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.
OSHPD Regional Workforce Development and Deployment Meetings
OSHPD has posted the findings from 10 regional roundtables they held this past year. These regional reports can assist in local efforts to conduct "on-the-ground" workforce development efforts.
Presentation From National Rural Mental Health Association Conference: June, 2011
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.
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:
Additional Resources