Instructions

In order to complete this on-line training, you will need:

– your ID number, this number was given to you when you registered for the training

– speakers/headphones– access to the internet– about 1 hour of your time.

To advance from one slide to the next, click on your mouse, or the right arrow key on your key pad.

Certification of Family/Youth Support Partners: The Evolution of the Profession

The Family& Youth Roundtable

On-Line Training Series

Professional Certification

Certification serves as acknowledgment of a special skill set in a particular field

Autonomous professions self regulate by establishing certification processes via Associations which serve as coordinating hubs for professions

Certifications typically define:– scope of practice,– standards of practice– standards for professional performance, and– practice competencies.

Professional Certification

Certification in a profession demonstrates accountability to clients and to the general public

Certification indicates a greater professional commitment to professional development and efforts to maintain quality of care

– “…certification enhances the employability and career advancement of the individual practitioner…” (Institute for Credentialing Excellence)

Testing serves as one of the dominant ways to validate certification, but it can also include: peer review and case studies

Continuing Education is often required to maintain one’s certification

The Role of Professional Associations in the Certification Process

Associations are led by members of the constituency they represent

Associations typically serve to:– Establish Professional Identity– Advocate for their members– Establish standards of practice– Publish ethics and competencies– Offer opportunity for continuing education– Develop and offer certifications– Lobby the government for licensure and other rights

Examples of System of Care Professional Partner Associations

- Background Information July 1892 – The American

Psychological Association 1917- CA Probation,

Parolee and Correctional Association

1926 – Child Welfare Director’s Association

1942 - The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

1955 - National Association for Social Workers

1981 - CA Association of Resource Specialists

1982 - National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)

Family-Led Organizations/Associations

Late 1970’s and early 1980’s the family movement emerged in the United States

1990’s – Family-led organizations expanded at the Local, State, and National Levels to:

– Offer Training and Technical Assistance to Stakeholders, Support Partners, and System of Care Partner Agencies

– Advocate for Children/Youth and Families Enrolled in Services– Coordinate Partnership Efforts – Represent Stakeholder’s Perspective

Family-led organizations are currently functioning like professional associations

Family & Youth Roundtable of San Diego

Formed 1996, Incorporated 2005

National Federation of FamiliesFormed 1985

United Advocates for Children and Families

Incorporated 1992

Family-Led Organizations/Associations

Public

Education

Private

Family

County of San Diego System of Care Sectors

Lack of Standardization in Family-Family Support Services

Family/Youth Support Partners have been hired professionals across the United States since 1985

2006 – The Parent Partner Assessment Workgroup (PPAW) was formed to gather information about the state of family-to-family support across the nation

– significant lack of standardized criteria for family support providers, their training, their supervision, and research about the results of their work

Impact of Lack of Standardization

The PPAW identified the following limitations in the field of Family/Youth Partnership resulting from a lack of standardization:

– Providing evidence to the public that Family/Youth Support Partners are a valuable service is limited.

– Guaranteeing that Family/Youth Support Partners are consistently competent and provide quality services is limited.

– It is difficult to formally recognize the specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities of Family/Youth Support Partners

Efforts to Standardize Family-Family Services: National Level

National Federation of Families is working on the following goals:

– To develop standards and capacity for national professional certification and to become the national certifying entity

– To develop a series of 3 training modules about credentialing, the pros and cons, and the implications on the family movement

– To support local family organizations/chapters in their certification training efforts

– To see the establishment of a national association of Support Partners

– To continue to contribute to the  field’s capacity to evaluate family-to-family peer support services

Efforts to Standardize Family-Family Services: National Level

National Federation of Family’s inventory of family-to-family peer support programs around the nation resulted in a broad and diverse selection of job titles and job descriptions

The Federation recommends Parent Support Provider as a the job title that will clearly brand the service provided across the United States

Not all states/counties have accepted this title

Efforts to Standardize Family-Family Services: Local Level

With input from the CSOC 4 sectors, the County of San Diego developed the following standardization tools:

– Definition of a Partner: Family, Youth, Professional– Policies and Procedures

Family Support Partners: Selection, Training and Supervision Youth Support Partners: Selection, Training and Supervision Family/Youth Support Partners as Direct Service Providers Implementing Family-Youth Partnerships in Roles Other than Direct

Service Provider

P&Ps can be found in Section 4 of the County’s Technical Resource Library http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/hhsa/programs/bhs/mental_health_services_act/technical_resource_library.html

Efforts to Standardize Family-Family Services: Local Level

The CSOC 4 sectors identified the Roundtable as a coordinating hub/entity to maintain consistency and standardization of Support Partner Services in San Diego

The CSOC 4 sectors provided input into the development of a County-Wide Training Review Committee - San Diego CMHS Family Youth Partner Employment Training Academy

Efforts to Standardize Family-Family Services: Local Level

The Family & Youth Roundtable of San Diego developed a document that identifies the Principles of Family/Youth and Professional Partnership

– Responsibility– Agreement– Influence– Sharing– Excellence

Click on the following link to obtain the document:

http://fyrt.org/CMHS/PFYPP.pdf

Efforts to Standardize Family-Family Services: Local Level

2004 – The Family & Youth Roundtable of San Diego developed a standardized training curriculum and certification process for ALL Support Partners working in the public, private, and academic sectors

– Curriculum developed with input from local, state, and national experts and family members

– Curriculum is portable and available to individuals at the local, state, and national levels NOW

– Curriculum consistently reviewed to align with local, state, and national certification efforts

– Completion of the curriculum and other certification requirements results in obtaining Roundtable Family/Youth Support Partner certification

Use of Certification for Standardization

Tennessee is one of the first states to initiate a formal state-wide certification process for Family Support Partners– Training curricula lacks standardization and

adequate ways of demonstrating what participants have learned.

– Many programs have clinicians training, certifying, and mentoring family support providers.

Family Associations liken this to having dentists training and supervising chefs.

Use of Certification in Wrap-Around

Wrap-Around was developed to be the primary mechanism for implementing systems of care

2002 – several inconsistencies identified across the nation in terms of how Wrap-Around was implemented

2003 – National Wrap-Around Initiative was formed to Provide guidelines on Wrap-Around process Describe necessary organization and system supports Provide opportunity to share tools, resources, and other supports Develop Fidelity measures

Use of Certification in Wrap-Around

Efforts of the National Wrap-Around Initiative resulted in:– Development of Wrap-Around Fidelity Measures and Tools– More Clearly defined Role of the Family/Youth Support Partner in

the Wrap-Process– Training and Certification standards– Identification of a National Provider of training and -Technical

Assistance in Wrap-Around: Vroon VanDenBerg LLP Given the diverse roles that Family/Youth Support Partners can

now take on in the CSOC across the country, this certification process is limited to only those providing services in a wrap program that is following this model of wrap-around

Steps to Consider in the Development of Certification Process

Regular Consultation between Local, State, and National Experts

Development of a standardized Matrix that identifies key elements, skills sets, outcomes, tools

Agreement on a Model for Training and Coaching at all stages of service delivery

Recommended Certification Components for Family/Youth Partners

Training Coaching Supervision Feed-back Loops

– Training without follow up technical assistance is ineffective in promoting effective practices

It is recommended that all of these components are provided to Partners via the coordination of Peers and Professionals to ensure they are effectively implemented

Certification Component - Training

Effective Training should include:– Transfer of knowledge, skills, and abilities through lecture

and discussion– Rehearsal of skills and practice– Feed-back on skills and practice (e.g. via test, peer review

process, etc.) Training should cover different stages of the service

delivery process Continuing Education should be incorporated into the

training process, post certification

Certification Component - Training

The following training components recommended for Support Partner Certification:

– Principles and practices of the county’s systems of care– Family Partner roles and responsibilities– Cross Agency services including mental health, social

services, probation and schools– Professional ethics– Mandated reporting– Confidentiality

Certification Component - Training

The following training components recommended for Support Partner Certification:

– Cultural Competence– Quality Improvement– Relevant Laws and Regulations– Team Based Consensus Decision-Making– Crisis Planning/Management– Medi-cal Managed Care– Special Education Law

Certification Component - Coaching

Coaching for Certification should focus on the individual’s needs and skill set development

Coaching should be provided by an individual who has experience with the job

Coaching should be readily available and reflective The following types of coaching are recommended

for Support Partner Certification:– Shadowing– Training Support– Behavioral Rehearsing– Planning and Consultation– Live Coaching– Group Coaching

Certification Component - Supervision

Supervision and coaching efforts can be combined Supervision should focus on adherence to job

function and responsibility Supervision should take place on a regular basis Supervision should be provided by someone trained

to supervise and with knowledge of the job requirements

Certification Component – Feedback Loops

Development and use of Measures to guide on-going professional development– Wrap-Around uses a Fidelity Assessment

System, Wrap-Around Practice Tool, and Satisfaction Surveys

– Development of a standardized test, fidelity index, or other peer review process to measure skill set and competencies of Support Partners is important

The Family & Youth Roundtable’s Certification Process

Background Information The Roundtable’s Certification Process is

aligned with the recommended certification components of training, supervision, coaching, and follow-up:– Completion of a standardized Peer-Peer Training

Curriculum– Participation in Monthly Group Supervision– Participation in Individual Coaching Meetings– Participation in Advanced Follow-Up trainings

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification: Training Curriculum

Training Modules Consist of the following Topics – Recognition of internal strengths and how to employ these

to assist families and youth– Definition and identification of key elements of an

individualized approach to delivering support services– Review of national, state, and local public systems, such as:

Child Welfare Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Public Education Systems.

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification: Training Curriculum

Training Modules Consist of the following Topics – Support Partner roles and activities, including legal aspects

(mandatory reporting, confidentiality, etc.) – Boundary and safety issues, including crisis planning and

crisis response– Strategies for developing plans to overcome challenges

faced by families and youth– Leadership role of Support Partners – Team-building and conflict-resolution

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification: Monthly Supervision

Monthly Supervision Led by Experienced Peer and Licensed Professional

Focuses on: – Adherence to job functions and responsibilities– Boundaries – Working with difficult professional partners– Legal and Ethical Issues– Crisis Intervention

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification: Individual Coaching

Coaching provided by an Experienced Peer Focuses on the individual’s needs and skill

set development Types of Individual Coaching Used:

– Training Support– Behavioral Rehearsing– Planning and Consultation

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification: Advanced Trainings

Advanced trainings are offered to individuals who have completed the initial standardized training curriculum

Advanced trainings serve as Continuing Education Units for the Certification Process

Advanced Training Topics Include:– Partnering with Resistant Professional Partners– Engagement Strategies– Self Care Strategies

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification: New Developments

The Roundtable is working on the following items to further develop the Family/Youth Support Partner Certification Process:

– Train the Trainers Curriculum – Tools to test Support Partner knowledge and effective use

of training curriculum– Tools to measure impact of certification process on Support

Partner job success from the Professional Partner perspective

– Expansion of the Advanced Training Component– Identification of an Advisory Team comprised of family

members and peers to participate in the development and refinement of the above

The Family & Youth Roundtable Certification – How to Get Connected

If you are interested in becoming certified through the Roundtable or would like to request that the Roundtable provide the training and certification to Family and Youth Partners in your agency or region, please contact them at:

619- 546-5852

http://www.fyrt.org/Contact-Us.html

Thank You!

Your Input is Valuable to us and we would like to know what you think about the Certification of Family/Youth Support Partners.

Please Click on the Link Below and Complete the Attached Survey.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7FXWXL8

References

Borgfeldt, I., McChesney J., and Sosan T. (2002). Family Professional Partnerships Making Them Work: An Implementation Guide for Family Partners and Agency Administrators. Retrieved from www.cimh.org.

Eisman, N. and Cline A. (2006). The Value of Certification. Retrieved from www.sgna.org/certification/the_value_of_certification.pdf.

Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blasé, K.A., Friedman R.M., and Wallace F. (2005). Implementation Research; A Synthesis of Literature. Tampa FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation research network (FMHI Publication #231)

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (2002). Student Achievement Through Staff Development (3rd ed.). Alexandria, A: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lazarchick, M. (2010). The Professional, the Quest for Licensure, and the Value of Certification. Retrieved from http://www.employmentcounseling.org.

Myers, M.J., Matarese, M. and Estep K. (2010). National Wrap-Around Initiative Webinar Series: Webinar 2: Wrap-Around Practice. Retrieved from www.nwi.pdx.edu.

References

NASMHPD Research Institute (n.d.). Promoting an Evidence-Based Culture in Children’s Mental Health: A Resource Guide. Retrieved from systemsofcare.samhsa.gov/ResourceGuide/docs/ResourceGuide.pdf.

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health: National Initiative for Parent Support Providers Updates. Retrieved from http:ffcmh.org.

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. (September 2008) Family Peer to Peer Programs in Children’s Mental Health: A Critical Issues Guide. Retrieved from http:ffcmh.org.

University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Psychiatry Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy. National Research and Training Center (NRTC) Research. (n.d.) Effectiveness of Medicaid-Funded Certified Peer Specialist Services in the State of Georgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Retrieved from: http://www.cmhsrp.uic.edu/nrtc/cps.asp.

Walker J.S. et. al. (2008).Using Data to Implement Wrap-Around and Sustain Fidelity: Examples, Lessons Learned and Issues for Implementation (Power Point Slides). Retrieved from wdh.state.wy.us.