Our partners
The MBHWDC is a partnership of three organizations, each with over two decades of behavioral health workforce development experience. We are funded by the Maine Office of Behavioral Health (OBH), Department of Health and Human Services.
AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc. offers high-quality trainings, educational events, and program management services. AdCare's mission is to advance awareness, knowledge, and skills in the prevention, intervention, and treatment of substance use disorders, behavioral health, and other public health issues.
Co-Occurring Collaborative Serving Maine (CCSME) has been at the forefront of creating new models of integrated mental health and substance abuse services in Maine. As a leader in systems change, CCSME conducts trainings on evidence-based practices and consensus practice models for integrated prevention, intervention and treatment.
Muskie School of Public Service is Maine's distinguished public policy school, combining an extensive applied research and technical assistance portfolio with rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The school is recognized nationally for applying innovative knowledge to critical issues in the fields of sustainable development and health and human service policy and management.
We emphasize
- evidence-based practices and promising techniques
- person-centered approaches
- cultural competency
- trauma-informed care
- recovery-oriented systems of care
- integrated care for co-occurring conditions
- awareness of the needs of underserved communities
We support prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery.
Plans
We're strengthening the workforce and its services by helping practitioners develop a solid foundation of experience. We're creating opportunities for behavioral health professionals in Maine to build their skills and maintain certification. Our plans include:
- Maintaining a calendar of events and training opportunities supported by our partners and other organizations
- Enhancing the certification programs supported by Muskie School of Public Service including the Rehabilitation Technician I and Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community certification programs
- Broadening our partnerships with other continuing education providers to better serve behavioral health professionals in Maine
- Supporting training initiatives funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Serving as members of key leadership initiatives including the Office Behvioral Health (OBH) Prevention Professional Credential development group
- Creating, developing, supporting and promoting efforts related to addressing the learning goals of child welfare workers, providing medication-assisted treatment for substance abuse recovery, conducting cross-training on co-occurring disorders, and expanding community-level capacity to change practice
Creating an environment supporting professional growth and success will improve the quality of care behavioral health professionals provide to a diverse range of populations throughout the state. Provider-oriented initiatives within SAMHS will guide these efforts. These initiatives include building capacity, assessing needs, planning goals, sustaining training, and offering certification programs.
Programs
The Maine Behavioral Health Workforce Development Collaborative hosted four strategic planning forums throughout 2014-15 to address service gaps and needs within various segments of the population throughout Maine.
These groups were identified and selected based on the possibility that they are underserved by the behavioral health workforce and/or present new and unique challenges to the system. The format of these forums was a panel presentation by informed and active stakeholders within the particular community, followed by roundtable work groups comprised of the panel members and attendees. The audience was generally comprised of providers, community members or other interested professionals. The goal of each session was to inform the planning of the workforce development at the state level in the areas of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery.