Behavioral Health Technician Certificate of Proficiency

The Behavioral Health Technician Certificate of Proficiency Program at Weber State University offers specialized training to individuals interested in pursuing careers as behavioral health technicians, providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to assist licensed mental health professionals in treating and supporting patients. This certificate is offered through a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort between Weber State University’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS) and the Dumke College of Health Professions (DCHP).

• Program Prerequisite: The program is open to all students and has no special admissions prerequisites or requirements.
• Grade Requirements: A minimum grade of “C” in all courses counted towards the completion of the certificate (no “C-” or lower grades allowed).
• Credit Hour Requirements: A total of 24 credit hours is required for completion of the certificate program.
• Program Code: 7065CP
• CIPC: 511502

Advisement

All advising for the Behavioral Health Technician Certificate of Proficiency will be conducted by Psychological Science Advisors working through the Department of Psychological Science (801-626-8743).

Admission Requirements

The program is open to all students and has no special admissions prerequisites or requirements.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Behavioral Technician Certificate of Proficiency Learning Outcomes are directly taken from the Talent Ready Utah Behavioral Health Workforce Initiative Grant request for proposals (RFP) and reflect industry identified skills associated with the Behavioral Health Technician Scope of Practice.

Introduction to Mental Health

• Describe the role, function, and responsibilities of various mental health professions and community service agencies.
• Evaluate personal strengths, weaknesses, interests and values in potential alignment for a rewarding career in behavioral health and social sciences.
• Describe cognitive and behavioral strategies that support academic and career success.
• Explain the importance of whole health integration, strong support systems and self-care habits for stress management and resiliency as a successful student and valued employee.
• Define mental health and identify common mental health issues.
• Demonstrate first aid skills in a mental health emergency or in support of an individual with a common mental health disorder.
• Build job-seeking skills and a professional portfolio.
• Create professional and academic goals, including a concrete educational plan leading towards certificate(s) and/or degree(s) in behavioral health and social sciences.

Professional Resiliency and Well-Being

• Analyze historical contexts of resilience, burnout, traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue research.
• Describe factors that contribute to trauma, burnout, and compassion fatigue.
• Explain how work-related stress can compromise physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being
• Develop mindfulness and self-relaxation strategies to promote mind-body awareness and equanimity.
• Practice skills to modify mindsets, explanatory styles, and core beliefs to bounce back from setbacks and adversity.
• Define meaning and purpose in work and life to enhance resilience.
• Explain elements of positive psychology and whole health integration to enhance happiness and well-being.
• Identify skills to build meaningful relationships and positive support systems to improve health and well-being.
• Explain ways to improve health-conscious practices, including healthy eating, activity, sleep, and self-compassion.
• Analyze structural factors within organizations that support resilience.
• Utilize key psychological and emotional resiliency skills to address symptoms and prevent future effects associated with traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.
• Create a six-point professional resiliency plan.

Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues

• Identify the unlicensed and licensed professional regulating bodies, laws, and codes of ethics that govern the behavioral health fields.
• Identify governing bodies that oversee the practice of behavioral health
• Define the ethical, legal and professional responsibilities of helping professionals.
• Identify the role of supervision in the development of professional practice.
• Describe clients` rights to confidentiality and situations in which confidentiality cannot be assured, including minors and vulnerable adults.
• Explain ethical issues related to professional competence and scope of practice.
• Demonstrate accurate documentation of legal and ethical issues.
• Identify the role of attitudes, beliefs, assumptions, and personal and professional values that underlie ethical decision making.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply concepts of ethical decision making to address common issues in social and behavioral services.
• Predict ways to effectively manage and avoid boundary issues and dual relationships in behavioral health counseling.
• Explore diversity issues that are relevant within ethical decision making
• Describe the unique ethical issues in working with minor clients, including ages of consent in mental health and substance abuse treatment, consent vs. assent for minors, and the involvement of significant others in the treatment process.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply concepts of ethical decision making with specialized populations, including integrative care.

Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills

• Describe principles of interpersonal communication in the helping professions.
• Describe modes of non-verbal communications and their implications
• Describe nuances of paraverbal and verbal communications and their implications.
• Demonstrate the ability to use effective listening skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to observe and express emotions effectively and responsibly in a variety of situations.
• Explain the purpose, elements, risks, and impact of self-disclosure.
• Demonstrate proficiency with the following interpersonal communication skills: questioning, confronting, and self-disclosure.
• Describe the therapeutic alliance process and the stages of progression.
• Demonstrate necessary communication skills for establishing rapport and maintaining a helping relationship.
• Demonstrate techniques to deal with resistant clients.
• Describe elements of communication involved in family relationship development, maintenance, and repair.
• Explain effective conflict management and problem-solving strategies in a variety of interpersonal communication situations.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide appropriate feedback.
• Demonstrate the ability to receive and act upon feedback from peers.

Case Management and Clinical Documentation

• Describe the role and explain the function of case management in human services.
• Describe the methods of delivering case management services.
• Demonstrate the interpersonal skills necessary to establish and maintain rapport at all stages of case management.
• Demonstrate the process of assessment and relevant interviewing skills in case management.
• Describe whole health services delivered as part of case management.
• Explain the role of case managers in whole health service coordination.
• Describe the case management processes of outcome monitoring and reassessment.
• Apply the concepts of case management to the unique needs of multicultural clients and special populations.
• Describe the components of a whole health integrated delivery model of case management.
• Describe documentation required in a case report and client records and appropriate formats.
• Analyze examples of case reports from diverse clinical settings for completeness and correct formatting.
• Explain the legal and liability issues related to case management and report writing.

Child, Family, and Adult Advocacy

• Define advocacy and explain professional/ethical standards for advocacy.
• Practice using common advocacy strategies and tactics and discuss when each may be applicable/valuable.
• Describe the role of parental rights related to advocacy.
• Describe the procedures involved in due process, grievance and appeals in behavioral health systems
• Describe familial considerations involved in advocacy.
• Describe the importance of whole health integration in advocacy to ensure appropriate educational access and opportunity.
• Describe the role and importance of whole health integration in advocacy when working with the disability population.
• Describe the role and importance of whole health integration in advocacy when working with justice-involved persons.
• Identify several funding sources and whole health integrated related services that can help address the needs of individuals with behavioral health issues.
• Demonstrate how to navigate multiple systems to develop an advocacy plan relevant to a child and his/her family.
• Describe the importance of the wraparound process and how it relates to child and family advocacy.
• Identify integrated healthcare community support and resources for children and families that can be made available through advocacy.