Pursuant to the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the California Department of Mental Health (CDMH) is required to collect county data, complete a countywide occupational needs assessment, and develop a five-year plan addressing a statewide mental health education and training program. In meeting this legal obligation, LACDMH is committed to increasing the quantity and quality of trained persons available for employment in the mental health system while increasing family and consumer involvement in service delivery and encouraging development of a diverse workforce.
Workforce development and education and training needs include:
- Addressing identified shortages in occupations, skill sets, and individuals with unique cultural and linguistic competence in urban and rural county mental health programs and private organizations providing services in the Public Mental Health System.
- Education and training for all individuals who provide or support services in the Public Mental Health System, to include fostering leadership skills. This is education and training that contributes to developing and maintaining a culturally competent workforce, to include clients and family members, who are capable of providing client- and family-driven services that promote wellness, recovery and resilience, and lead to measurable, values-driven outcomes.
WET has five separate funding categories, which include Workforce Staffing Support, Training and Technical Assistance, Mental Health Career Pathway Programs, Residency and Internship Programs and Financial Incentive Programs. The objectives are meant to develop training curricula in accordance with MHSA values, incorporate cultural competency in all training and education programs, increase Mental Health career development opportunities, expand postsecondary education capacity, expand loan repayment scholarship programs, create stipend programs, promote distance learning techniques, promote employment of clients and family members in the Mental Health system, and promote meaningful inclusion of client and family members in all training and education programs. These support the WET overall mission of developing and maintaining a sufficient workforce capable of providing client and family driven, culturally competent services, promoting wellness, recovery and resiliency, and lead to evidenced-based, value-driven outcomes.
Roundtable Information
The Workforce Education and Training Roundtable convened on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 at The Center at Cathedral Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles. The Roundtable offered opportunity for training coordinators, provider CEOs, managers/supervisors, consumers, parents, and family members to learn about the MHSA Workforce Education & Training Plan. The Roundtable presentations included:
- Building the Workforce Through Education and Training (California Institute of Mental Health),
- Increasing and Supporting Consumer, Parent, and Family Employment (Santa Barbara County Mental Health Department, Mental Health America Los Angeles, and Pacific Clinics)
- Expanding Capacity in the Public Mental Health Workforce (San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery)
- Increasing Workforce Diversity and Cultural Competency (Asian American Community Mental Health Training Center and El Centro)
- Creating Effective Career Pathways in Public Mental Health (Mental Health America of Los Angeles and The MFT Consortium Phillips Graduate Institute)
WET Inventories
Workforce Education and Training Inventories were conducted in November and December 2007. The Inventories focused on assessing resources both within Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, and within those agencies and community partners assisting in the provision of mental health services. The primary purpose of the WET inventories was to create a process for identifying and organizing current WET resources, initiatives, assets, and needs. The WET Inventories are available at L.A. County WET Internal Inventory and L.A. County WET External Inventory.
WET Ad Hoc Committee
The WET Ad Hoc Committee consists of representatives from the MHSA Stakeholder Delegates and the community at large, including individuals from: Los Angeles County DMH programs and administration, community based organizations providing public mental health services, community agencies assisting in the delivery of mental health services, educational institutions, workforce diversity agencies, and consumer and parent/family advocacy organizations. The Ad Hoc Committee met initially in November 2007, and continues to meet once a month. Its primary goal is to assist in the development of a three year WET Plan for Los Angeles County by:
- Generating ideas and identifying successful models for education, training and recruitment in the workforce.
- Establishing principles and guiding the WET planning process.
- Identifying and prioritizing WET gaps.
The WET Ad Hoc Committee Representative List is available at WET Ad Hoc Committee Representation
The WET Ad Hoc Committee meeting minutes are available at November Minutes, December Minutes, January Minutes, February Minutes, March Minutes, April Minutes, May - Ad Hoc Planning Meeting Minutes, June Minutes, July 10, 2008 Minutes, July 17, 2008 Minutes, July 31, 2008 Minutes, August 7, 2008 Minutes, and August 14, 2008 minutes.
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