Glossary

A person responsible for overseeing the practicum course for academic credit.

Learning and assessment that will happen later within the BHSS curriculum; topics or content are more complex and build upon learning that occurred in Pre-BHSS and Foundations learning.

Refers to the results from using the BHSS high-level gap analysis tool to determine where your program’s existing curriculum currently aligns with a BHSS curriculum, and in what areas you may consider prioritizing to revise your existing curriculum or add to it as you plan for a BHSS implementation.

Areas to consider prioritizing: all competencies that learners in your program reach little to no proficiency in. These are the competencies that your program will likely need to add courses for.

Areas partially aligned: all competencies that learners in your program reach some level of proficiency in. These are the competencies that your program will likely need to add to existing courses or otherwise modify the curriculum.

Areas to check on: all competencies that you mark as "unsure". These are the competencies to discuss further with the BHSS Project Team.

Areas most aligned: all competencies that learners in your program reach proficiency in. These are the areas that your program is likely already addressing adequately.

Determine the degree to which learning objectives are being met, formally and informally; often also referred to as “evaluation;” requires defining what the “acceptable evidence” of learning is, and how that evidence will be collected and measured.

What a learner will believe or value, or how they will behave, as a result of a learning experience.

An approach to curriculum and course design that starts by identifying desired results (learning goals), then determining acceptable evidence of learning (assessments of learning), followed by learning activities. Also referred to as Understanding by Design, created by Wiggins and McTighe.

A way to categorize learning into three domains: knowledge; skill; and attitude; within each domain, learning is organized from lower- to higher-order thinking.

Describes the professional qualities of a behavioral health support specialist; these are the major outcomes & overview of what a BHSS learner will be able to achieve by end of program, organized into content or topic areas, providing a context for learning objectives.

A framework to represent the organization of curriculum components resulting in a cohesive system. This differs from "competency-based education” in which programs are organized around competencies rather than courses and curricula.

Describes the process of assigning ‘content tags’ to learning objectives. Content tags describe common topic areas and are intended to add context and meaning to the BHSS competencies and learning objectives for gap analysis and to facilitate sequencing learning objectives into similar clusters in anticipation of content development.

Used interchangeably with “Practicum”.

Learning and assessment that will happen earlier within the BHSS curriculum; topics or content is foundational and will be built upon further in the curriculum.

The process of mapping competencies and learning objectives to your program’s existing content with the goal of identifying areas of alignment and misalignment or underdevelopment.

The principle of ensuring that every person has equal opportunity to attain their full health potential and has a sense of belonging regardless of race, ethnicity, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, or other personal identity variables associated with social determinants of health.

Used interchangeably with “Practicum”.

“Key ideas, concepts, or skills related to the learning objective are introduced and demonstrated at an introductory level. Instruction and learning activities focus on basic knowledge, skills, and affect/attitudes and entry-level complexity”. (Hundey & Watson, 2019)

Content and methods a learner will know as a result of a learning experience.

Define what learners will be able to do as a result of a learning experience (in the context of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes or ‘KSA’).

Thoughts and feelings “specific to biological factors that influence our mental state”. (UMass Global, n.d.)

A method of grouping related competencies into domain; these are intentionally broad and may be transferable to multiple settings and roles.

A clinical experience under routine supervision that prepares the student for work in the behavioral health profession with opportunities for direct and indirect service to patients. A practicum is associated with a college or university course and involves assessment and evaluation of student progress developing proficiency as a BHSS. Practicum is frequently used interchangeably with internship in graduate programs, although there may be distinct differences at the graduate level. (Hodges, 2021)

Learning and assessment that is assumed to have already occurred prior to the BHSS curriculum.

“Learners demonstrate the learning objective with the degree of competence or skill expected upon completion of the program, ideally via independent practice. Instruction and learning activities concentrate on enhancing and strengthening existing knowledge and skills, as well as expanding complexity”. (Hundey & Watson, 2019)

“Learning objective is reinforced with feedback; learners demonstrate the learning objective at an increasing level of proficiency. Instruction and learning activities concentrate on enhancing and strengthening existing knowledge and skills, as well as expanding complexity”. (Hundey & Watson, 2019)

An arrangement between the degree granting institution and practicum site to collaboratively provide supervision to a student during the practicum experience. The site and academic supervisor routinely communicate about student progress and share information regarding student learning and application of learning to work with patients or clients. Generally, with patient consent, the educational institution provides supervision of skill development related to patient cases often through verbatim reports, audio recording, or video observations. The site supervisor manages acute concerns related to patient welfare. This is an optional arrangement to support the supervised practicum experience and not a requirement.

A person responsible for overseeing the practicum at an approved site for a BHSS practicum student.

Techniques and/or approaches a learner will be able to perform as a result of a learning experience.

Curriculum that revisits learning topics with an increasing level of difficulty with each subsequent learning experience. New knowledge, skills, and attitudes are intentionally connected back to and built from prior learning, which leads to a progressive increase in learner proficiency. (Harden, 1999)

An activity associated with the preparation of a clinical supervisor in the behavioral health professions. It means a novice supervisor is receiving supervision from an experienced supervisor as part of their professional development. Supervision of supervision is a recommended activity for persons seeking to become an approved supervisor in select behavioral health professions. Supervision of supervision is often accompanied by supervisor education.

Referred to in this guide as the BHSS Project Team.

Referred to in this guide as the BHSS Clinical Training Program.

Three pillars describe a whole health care plan: (1) Treat disease within a whole health approach combining medical and behavioral healthcare when needed; (2) Equip patients with self-help and skill building strategies to manage their health over time, and (3) Empower patients through partnership (Kligler, 2022).