Thursday, March 20, 2025
3/20/2025
Recent NSDUH reports show high rates of opioid and other substance misuse among the AN/AI population. One of the greatest needs to address opioids and substance misuse is to increase the workforce capacity in rural and remote communities. In Alaska, individuals must be credentialed as a Qualified Addiction Professional to provide substance use services; to obtain this credential, non-degreed professionals must first obtain certification as a: Behavioral Health Aide II (BHA-II), Chemical Dependency Counselor I (CDC-I), or Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor I (NCAC-I). This proposed project uses the core training requirements for Counselor Technician (CT; initial certification that leads to CDC-I) and BHA-II as the foundation of a Level I/Level II training program. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s (ANTHC) is uniquely positioned to facilitate such a program, given the statewide nature of serving tribal organizations statewide who employ BHAs. The BHA Program was established in 2009 as a certification program intended to train a statewide workforce employed by tribal health organizations to provide a wide range of prevention, intervention, and post-vention behavioral health services to individuals, families, and communities in rural Alaska. Currently, the BHA Program works with 18 Tribal Health Organizations (THO) throughout the state to help build stronger Alaskans and healthier communities. As a tribal health organization, ANTHC primarily serves Alaska Native/American Indian peoples. However, there are many non-tribal organizations throughout the state who also serve AN/AI peoples. Providers of substance use services in non-tribal organizations seek certification as a CDC-I to become QAP-credentialed. The proposed project capitalizes on the overlap between courses required for certification as a CT/CDC and BHA. More specifically, certification as a CDC first requires completion of requirements for a Counselor Tech (CT); al l courses required for CT are also a portion of those required for BHA certification. Completion of the CT courses fits within the one-year maximum allowed for Level I and serves as a natural steppingstone for those who seek BHA-II certification, which requires a more extensive list of courses. By increasing the number of individuals who have been trained and certified as BHAs and CDCs, historically underserved communities will have a greater capacity to address substance use challenges, in a culturally congruent way that can have positive intergenerational effects for families. With high rates of substance use and behavioral health conditions and systemic requirements demands for certification, these providers need ready access to the required trainings, on-the-job training opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and supervisory resources to ensure skills are developed and applied appropriately when working with clients. The primary goal of this project is to support the needs of behavioral health paraprofessionals, employers, and community members by engaging in activities related to the following: 1. Increase the number of individuals who have completed training required for certification as a BHA-II or CDC-I. In order to increase this workforce, 2. Partner with tribal and non-tribal organizations across Alaska to recruit incumbent behavioral health workers; 3. Develop and deliver more training opportunities targeting the development of healthcare working on interprofessional teams, working in integrated settings, working with diverse populations, and working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and/or are at risk for mental health disorders. 4. Enhance the Level Up certificate training program, via a focus on infrastructure, materials, and staff expertise
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).