Chapter 7: Guidance for Working with Faculty

Chapter Overview

This chapter proposes strategies for faculty leaders or advocates to introduce and talk about the BHSS Clinical Training Program with university and college leadership, faculty colleagues, and other programs and departments.

Use the links below to jump to a particular section:

Strategies for Program Adoption
Benefits of the BHSS Clinical Training Program
Common Challenges (& Responses) to Departments or Programs

Strategies for Program Adoption

In the next sections, we provide strategies based on which phase of implementation your program is in.

Part 2: Explore Implementation

Initial Conversations with Colleagues and Leadership in Your Program and Department

• Initiate a conversation with colleagues who share leadership of the existing four-year degree program.
• Share an executive summary (opens in a new tab) of the BHSS Clinical Training Program and discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of the program based on available data about the student population, employment outlook, and regional need.

Conduct a Gap Analysis

Reach consensus on appropriateness of conducting a gap analysis. Detailed information and instructions for conducting high-level and detailed gap analyses are provided in Chapter 8. Gap Analysis.

• Conduct a high-level overview of alignment with the BHSS Clinical Training Program as a faculty group or team (See Chapter 8. Gap Analysis for information about conducting a high-level gap analysis)
• Reach consensus on continuing exploration of program fit with the BHSS Clinical Training Program competencies (Chapter 4. Curriculum Outline and Chapter 6. Curriculum Map)
• If consensus is reached to continue exploration of BHSS Clinical Training Program fit, schedule time with department or college leadership to discuss pros/cons of BHSS Clinical Training Program adoption.
• If consensus is reached to continue exploration with leadership, conduct a detailed gap analysis of program alignment between current course learning objectives and BHSS competencies (See Chapter 8. Gap Analysis for information about conducting a detailed gap analysis).

Part 3: Begin Implementation Planning

Identify Solutions to Gaps

• Following self-study of curricular and programmatic gaps, identify possible solutions to achieve alignment.
• Forward a summary of curricular gaps and solutions to department or college leadership to discuss resource needs.
• Create a plan for program adoption with support of college or university leadership.
• Consult the BHSS Clinical Training Program at any time during the above self-study and decision-making process.

Share the Benefits of the BHSS Clinical Training Program

• A BHSS is a new member of the Washington State Behavioral Health Workforce with a credential memorialized in the RCW.
• The BHSS Clinical Training Program is intended to be integrated into an existing four-year degree program in psychology, social work, behavioral healthcare, or related degrees.
• Students will learn applied skills that prepare them for behavioral health jobs upon graduation.
• A BHSS may be a terminal career or a step in the workforce pipeline to graduate programs in all behavioral health professions.
• An overarching goal of the BHSS Clinical Training Program is to improve access to evidenced-based interventions for common behavioral health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Common Challenges (& Responses) to Departments or Programs

• Programs perceive themselves as tied to a specific course sequence with little room for deviation in course descriptions or learning objectives.
  • Response: The BHSS Clinical Training Program does not demand that course catalogue information be changed when the intent of the language matches the spirit of the language in BHSS competencies. When there are obvious gaps, programs should consider modifying or adding learning objectives to existing courses or adding new courses to meet the competency requirements for a BHSS.
• College or University leadership expresses concern with cost if courses need to be added.
  • Response: One strategy for examining cost is to conduct a marketing analysis to determine if the region where the college or university is located has a demand for behavioral health professionals who may provide interventions under supervision. Understanding the need and competition in the region may be useful when making decisions on investments in program expansion.
• Program faculty perceive current course content to be at full capacity.
  • Response: This may be an opportunity for program leadership to guide discussions on program outcomes. For some baccalaureate programs, the original major content may have been designed to accommodate the development of theoretical knowledge versus applied skills. It may be helpful to reexamine course purpose and goals to accommodate a balance between research, theory, and clinical skill development. Additionally, focusing on the benefit to graduates and their employment outlook may help motivate faculty to contribute to solutions that help resolve curricular gaps.
• Program faculty question or disagree with BHSS competencies.
  • Response: The competencies in Version 1 of this Implementation Guide will be open for public comment and amendments will be made for Version 2. Faculty may participate in providing feedback on the competencies via the BHSS Feedback Form (see Chapter 3. Providing Feedback to the BHSS Project Team). The competencies are connected to national and regional standards related to integrated behavioral healthcare. Additionally, a sample of specialty mental healthcare, crisis services, social services, and other setting representatives commented on an initial version of the competencies resulting in language change to include settings beyond integrated care.
• Program faculty are uncomfortable teaching to specific competencies.
  • Response: The BHSS Project Team will provide a library of resources to faculty to support curriculum delivery. The project team will also help identify training and education resources for faculty interested in teaching to competencies and who recognize the need for professional development. In some instances, adjunct faculty may need to be identified to teach to certain competency areas, for example, brief evidence-based psycho-social interventions.
• Program faculty are uncertain about practicum and employment opportunities for students.
  • Response: It will be important to connect with potential practicum sites for students in advance of adopting a BHSS Clinical Training Program. Graduate programs in psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy have years of experience developing practicum courses and relationships with practicum and internship sites. Consulting with graduate programs on processes for practicum site relationship development may be advantageous. When graduate programs are not available, please consult with the BHSS Project Team.

Summary

• Education partners may face various challenges as they plan to implement a BHSS curriculum.
• When discussing a BHSS curriculum implementation with program or institution leadership and faculty, it will be important to communicate the benefits of the BHSS Clinical Training Program for students, community, and program.

Up Next

In Chapter 8. Gap Analysis, we will provide tools and guidance around how to identify your priority areas for development of a BHSS curriculum.