The HRD departments communicate regularly through monthly audio conferences and during the annual Human Resource conference, which is typically held in the spring. All state facilities and many community centers also use e-mail in addition to regular mail. Return to top. These education and training services include new hire orientation, basic skills development, preservice training, inservice training, and continuing education. Videotapes are frequently used.
Some sites have access to distance learning technologies.
Computer capabilities vary, particularly between facilities and centers. State facilities use local data entry into a centralized training database to manage training documentation and recordkeeping. Each community center manages its own training data using disparate data systems. Local HRD staff provide education and training that address a variety of topics and skills. Specifically, professionals and paraprofessionals are trained in basic and technical skills needed to work with people with mental illness or mental retardation such as health and safety skills, behavioral intervention skills, consumer rights, age or consumer-specific skills, and so forth.