Training Comparison Chart - Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center | Montana State University

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Emerging Behavioral Health Workforce Positions in Montana
	Community Health Worker	Fundamentals of Behavioral Health	Community Paramedicine	Behavioral Health Peer Support Specialist
Requirements	High school diploma/GED preferred, have or gain computer literacy skills, employer sponsored preferred.	Employment in healthcare setting preferred.	Currently certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT‐P) and have 2 years of full‐time service as an EMT‐P, or its part‐time equivalent.	Must identify as being in recovery from a behavioral health diagnosis and have sought treatment.
Training & Delivery Method	Approximately 85 hours over 7 weeks (five learning modules plus 25‐hour on‐the‐job supervised experience). Training is online, self-paced instructor‐ lead.	Approximately 60 hours over 9 weeks (nine online learning modules). Training is online, self‐paced, instructor lead.	1 semester online, live instructor‐ lead through Missoula College.	40 hours of initial training, with 20 CEU’s per year.
Training Costs	$1,5000.00	$1,500.00	Visit: CIH Missoula College for more information	Visit: MT Peer Network for more information.
Role	Serves as a liaison/ link/ intermediary between health/ social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve quality and cultural competence of service delivery	Those already working in healthcare field to better understand and more effectively recognize and appropriately respond to behavioral health problems and mental health disorders	Help individuals and communities overcome barriers that prevent them from accessing and benefiting from health services. They serve as advocates, facilitators, liaisons, community brokers and resource coordinators.	Uses personal experience with a behavioral health diagnosis disorder to provide support, mentoring, guidance, and advocacy and to offer hope to individuals with behavioral health disorders.
Benefits to Agencies	Connects clients with needed resources; clients receive cost effective, individual services; reduces readmission rates.	Higher trained staff in behavioral health will increase retention and provide better patient outcomes.	Trained as direct service providers which will ensure basic and advanced levels of care appropriate to prevention, emergencies, evaluation, triage, disease management, and basic oral and mental health.	Return on investment (i.e. $5 to $1 cost savings in diversion from high‐cost services observed in Gallatin County).
Work Settings	A variety of settings, including but not limited to ‐ hospitals, community‐based organizations, governments, clinics, and schools.	A variety of settings, including but not limited to – Emergency rooms, detention centers, mental mental health centers, community at large, CAH, FQHC, LTC, and ALF.	A variety of settings, including but not limited to organizations that provide community health care, EMS, and public health.	Emergency rooms, detention centers, mental health centers, community at large, FQHC, SUD centers, VA, diversion and treatment courts.
Training Providers	Montana AHEC	Montana AHEC	MT DPHHS: EMS & Trauma Systems / Community Integrated Health	MT’s Peer Support Network

*Apprenticeship options available for most of these trainings: Call 406.444.4100 or email apprenticeship@mt.gov

Behavioral Health Professional Development Trainings
	Management of Aggressive Behaviors (MOAB®)	Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)	Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)	Community Health Worker Add-on Modules	Additional Trainings
Requirements	None.	None.	None.	None.	See training provider for details on each training.
Training & Delivery Method	4‐hour, 8‐hour, and 12‐hour training options, in‐person, on‐site	2 day, in‐person, on‐site training. Online option also available.	1 day (8‐hour), in‐person, onsite. Adult & Youth options. Online option is also available.	Online, self‐paced courses (approximately 2‐3 hours each).	Varies
Training Costs	Training costs may be covered with grant funds.	Training costs may be covered with grant funds.	Training costs may be covered with grant funds.	All modules are free of charge.	Varies, some may be covered with grant funds.
Role	Presents principals, techniques, and skills for recognizing, reducing, and managing violent and aggressive behavior	Teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and how to work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.	Can help those who regularly engage with individuals who may experience mental health challenges and is most appropriate for audiences with no prior training or experience with mental health or substance abuse.	Trainings Include: Communicating with the Elderly Basics of Diabetes Alzheimer’s Education Geriatric Fall Prevention Adult Mental Health Children’s Mental Health Children & Youth Development Grief & Loss Substance Use Disorder	Trainings Include: CHW Supervisor Foundations Training Motivational Interviewing MAT & IBH trainings Train‐the‐Trainer MOAB MHFA ASIST
Benefits to Agencies	Trained staff will be able to address the multitude of crises and stages of conflict to help calm people, diffuse anxious or aggressive behavior, avoid violence & injuries, & create confidence & the ability to improve any situation & minimize or eliminate lawsuits.	Studies show the ASIST method helps to reduce suicidal feelings in those at risk and is a cost‐ effective way to help address the problem of suicide.	Higher trained staff in behavioral health will increase retention and provide better patient outcomes	Higher trained CHWs will increase retention and provide better patient outcomes. *Modules are frequently being added to the CHW library.	.
Work Settings	A variety of settings, including but not limited to ‐ hospitals, community‐based organizations, government, clinics, and schools.	A variety of settings, including but not limited to ‐ hospitals, community‐based organizations, government, clinics, and schools.	A variety of settings, including but not limited to ‐ hospitals, community‐based organizations, government, clinics, and schools.	A variety of settings, including but not limited to ‐ hospitals, community‐based organizations, government, clinics, and schools.	.
Training Providers	Montana AHEC	Montana AHEC	Montana AHEC	Montana AHEC	Varies by training.