Education and Training to Address Behavioral Health Disparities-Presentation Slides

Presentation Slides

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The document discusses the importance of addressing behavioral health disparities and promoting cultural competence in the field. It highlights the need for education, training, and workforce development to effectively address the behavioral health needs of racial and ethnic minority communities.<br /><br />The document introduces Duy Nguyen, the Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded Minority Fellowship Program at the Council on Social Work Education. Dr. Nguyen's research has focused on the impact of sociocultural factors on health and mental health service use, particularly among different Asian ethnic groups and the aging population.<br /><br />The document emphasizes the persistent behavioral health disparities experienced by racial/ethnic minority communities in terms of disease burden, insurance coverage, access to care, and treatment outcomes. It also highlights the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in the mental health workforce, contributing to the inequities in care. Recommendations for addressing these disparities are provided, including the adaptation of treatments, integration of behavioral health services into existing social services, and the diversification and expansion of the behavioral health workforce.<br /><br />The Council on Social Work Education's Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) is discussed, which aims to increase the number of doctoral-level ethnic minority behavioral health professionals and improve services for ethnic minorities with mental or substance abuse disorders. The program provides training, stipends, mentoring, and a two-year work requirement for fellows.<br /><br />The document concludes by stressing the importance of creating a learning environment that affirms the experiences of non-dominant racial/ethnic groups, promotes self-efficacy, builds community, empowers creativity, and values authenticity. It also raises questions about integrating the social determinants framework and community voices into behavioral health training programs and how educational institutions can engage with providers and students to inform curriculum development.<br /><br />Overall, the document highlights the need for a culturally competent and diverse behavioral health workforce to address inequities in care and improve outcomes for racial and ethnic minority communities. The Minority Fellowship Program is presented as a valuable initiative in achieving these goals.

Keywords

behavioral health disparities

cultural competence

education

racial and ethnic minority communities

sociocultural factors

access to care

mental health workforce

Minority Fellowship Program

diversification and expansion

inequities in care