# Presentation: 765456

## Village-based Behavioral Health Services – Within the Alaska Tribal Health System . . . Prevention, Early Intervention, & Case Management

**Scot Prinz, ****MA**
**Director, Behavioral Health & Rural Services**
**Community Health Service**
**Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium**
**(907) 729-3643                                                       sprinz@anmc.org**

**www.anthc.org/cs/chs/behavioral**

## Average distance to next level of care is about 450 miles

## Behavioral Health Aide: A new kind of village-based behavioral health provider

**Mission:**
- 	***Provide village-based behavioral health services to help ensure the viability and survival of rural and remote Alaska Native villages.***
**Values:**
- 	***The behavioral health aide values the emotional, physical, spiritual, family, social and cultural well-being and health of individuals, their families, and the communities where they live.***
**Goal:**
- 	***Young people who are personally competent, capable, and culturally connected.***

## Why?

- itinerant behavioral health services . . .
- Not cheap
- Not consistent
- Not always trusted
- Not always familiar with individual village
- Not always familiar with cultural context, *AND*
- Not focused on ***prevention***, ***early intervention***, and ***community-based case management***

**Why?**

## Continuum of Care:

**Least intensive                                most intensive.**
**Community based (*****left*****) vs facility based (*****right*****).**
**Currently the application of funding is nearly all being focused toward the most intensive parts of the continuum.**
**If the funding application and focus of services continues as is, costs will continue to rapidly increase and the typical solution will be to reduce access.**

## Levels of Practice & Certification

**BHA Trainee (*****Non-certified*****)** – Is the newest to the field of BH & they will be going through initial BHA training.
**BHA I** **(*****Certified*****)** – Has received initial BHA-I competency-based training and completed clinical practicum.
**BHA II** **(*****Certified*****)** -  Along with specific training, supervised clinical practice and applied experience, they may have some specific college level training in a behavioral health discipline.
**BH Associate – BHA III** **(*****Certified*****)** -Along with specific training, supervised clinical practice and applied experience, they may have some specific college level training, or have completed a Bachelors degree in a behavioral health discipline.
**BH Practitioner** – **BHA IV** **(*****Certified*****)** – The highest level of professional qualifications and/or credentials for BHA’s.  In most work environments, they will likely provide some supervision for other BHA’s and have some programmatic responsibility.

## How BHAs are making a difference:

- Focus on prevention, early intervention and case management.
- Increase “Capacity” within villages.
- Help to reduce outpatient, emergency and inpatient medical workload as well as cost.
- Help to reduce long term chronic health problems and family / community disruption.
- Promote individual and community health to support economic development / viability, which will also contribute to overall improvement in health status.

## Slide 8

## Activities and Messages that are intended for the whole community regarding healthy choices and living.

**Targeting high risk groups within the community such as:**
- Children from alcohol or drug abusing families
- Children from families with a recent suicide or other trauma
- Case management of group

**Targeting individuals with early signs of none diagnosed behavioral health problem.**
- Individualized assessment and intervention activities may include:
- Tutoring, mentoring, decision-making skill development and/or leadership development
- Parenting education and support program/s
- After-school programs (employment, educational and recreational)
- Intense Case management.

**Village-based ****Prevention****, ****Early Intervention****, and ****Case Management****:**

## Safety

**Safety**
**Security**
**Health**

**Nurtured**
**Happy**
**Grounded**

**Connected**
**Sensitive**
**Capable**

**Grounded**
**Healthy**
**Whole**