Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals - Faculty in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations at Mississippi State University submit this proposal titled, “Paving the Path: Paraprofessionals Advancement in Training Hub for Behavioral Health Service Providers in Rural Mississippi” which seeks to expand community-based experiential training to increase the skills and knowledge of paraprofessional-level applied behavior analysis service providers to address the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and young adults in rural, underserved communities in Mississippi. The requested funding amount to meet the objectives outlined in this proposal is $1,166,503. The state of Mississippi is predominantly rural and many rural counties in the state include a high percentage of historically underserved populations. These factors lead to large disparities in access to behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and young adults living in rural Mississippi. Currently, the state of Mississippi falls well short of having the number of certified paraprofessional-level behavioral health providers needed to provide services, which leads to major health disparities, particularly for individuals living in rural, underserved areas. The primary goal of this project is to develop and expand community-based experiential training to increase the skills and knowledge of individuals preparing to become paraprofessional-level applied behavior analysis service providers. The specific program objectives are to: 1) establish and enhance relationships with community-based partners to expand and improve access to quality behavioral health services in high need and high demand areas in Mississippi, 2) promote collaborative training by using team-based models of care in integrated or interprofessional settings, and 3) recruit a workforce interested in working with children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth in high need communities. The methodological approach for this project is a multi-component framework that includes the following components: a) strategic planning and systems development, b) collaborative partnerships with community- and school-based sites in rural Mississippi, c) a multi-component support program that includes training, financial support, and networking and mentorship support, and d) a data-based decision-making approach that uses the “Plan-Do-Study-Act” model. Personnel required to implement this project successfully include a Program Director, Program Coordinator, Board Certified Behavior Analyst Supervisor, and project trainees. Over the course of four years, carrying out the proposed project objectives will result in at least 4 established training sites in rural communities where 60 paid paraprofessional-level trainees will gain supervised experience providing behavioral services to children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth in high need communities. Through implementing the project objectives, the project team will also conduct at least 8 professional development training opportunities for trainees and other professionals working at partnership sites, and 4 career networking events designed to connect employers in rural, underserved areas with program graduates. This proposal meets eligibility to be considered for Funding Preference Qualification #3 - New program. The project team is also requesting funding priority under Priority 1.
