Current Trainings
SOAR Training: SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery
The SOAR initiative (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) is a federal technical assistance and training program that helps states and communities identify and remove barriers faced by persons who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or who have disabilities in accessing benefits. All too often, applying for federal benefits is a challenge for many people to accomplish on their own; on average, only 10-15% of applicants are approved on their initial try and usually face a wait-time of over 120 days. Having a reliable source of income enables people to secure housing and access support services that lead to greater, long-term self-sufficiency.
However, applications submitted through the SOAR process have approval rates of between 65-95% and take on average 87 days to review. Allegheny HealthChoices, Inc. has partnered with several other mental health agencies in the County to become certified trainers in the SOAR process. We can set up two-day trainings to educate provider staff on the SOAR process, and is appropriate for any staff person who directly helps consumers complete the paperwork to access benefits. Please contact Jessica Strong, Manager of Training and Recovery Initiatives at jstrong@ahci.org or at 412-325-1100 x7773 to set up a training.
Selecting and Implementing Evidence-Based Practices
Allegheny HealthChoices, Inc. has partnered with the Institute for Research, Evaluation and Training in Addictions (IRETA) to launch a training and technical assistance project for substance abuse providers in Allegheny County. The project aims to support five agencies with implementation of motivational interviewing and/or motivational incentives within their agencies, both of which are evidence-based practices (EBPs).
To date, Alpha House, Auberle, POWER, Renewal Inc., and Sojourner House have begun implementing one of the two EBPs in their agencies, after completing organizational assessments and developing “implementation maps.” Additional onsite trainings for agency staff has also taken place, with technical assistance being provided to the individual agencies as needed. Implementation is expected to continue through March 2010.
Supported Employment/Community Treatment Teams: In July 2009, David Lynde from the Dartmouth
Evidence-Based Practice Center/Supported Employment Center led a three-day training on how to integrate Supported Employment as an evidence-based practice into the CTT model. The training was attended by the vocational specialists, clinical leaders, team leaders and team directors from all nine of Allegheny County’s CTTs. Since the training, AHCI staff has worked directly with the teams to continue to strengthen the vocational specialists’ knowledge of supported employment principles and their ability to implement this practice within the team.
Next steps: AHCI is partnering with the Center for Evidence-Based Practices at Case Western Reserve University to begin offering in-depth training on Supported Employment to the CTTs to continue to implement the SE model. Trainings are scheduled to start in February 2010.
TIC Training
From April – November 2009, twelve therapists from seven agencies across Allegheny County received twenty hours of intensive training in how to use a trauma/empowerment model of therapeutic intervention. After the five-week training, all twelve therapists completed six months of case studies/small group consultation to further hone their skills and learn to apply the trauma training to their current cases. The trained therapists have reported immediate positive outcomes in their daily practices.
To continue this work, three separate three-day trainings have been scheduled for BHRS, FBMH and Early Intervention staff, respectively. Therapists that complete that three-day training will be eligible to participate in the six-month intensive case study/group consultation project (again limited to 12-15 participants), to occur from April – October 2010. Trainings are scheduled as follows (all to be held at St. Paul’s Retreat Center, 148 Monastery Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15203):
- BHRSCA: January 28-29, and February 5th
- Family-Based MH: February 25-26, and March 5th
- Early Intervention: March 25-26, and April 8th