2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

317621
Development and Implementation of a Bachelor's Degree to Enhance the Behavioral Healthcare Workforce


Wednesday, November 4, 2015 : 1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

Catherine Batsche, PhD, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Roger Boothroyd, Ph.D., Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background:During the last 15 years, there have been numerous national reports documenting the “education and training deficiencies” within the current behavioral health workforce resulting in calls for an increased emphasis on pre-service preparation that is interdisciplinary, patient-centered, and focused on evidence-based practices and principles of recovery (Annapolis Coalition, 2001, 2004; DHHS, 1999, 2003, 2013; SAMHSA, 2007).  In particular, the Annapolis Coalition (2004) concluded that bachelor-level, direct-care providers were provided minimal training in treatment interventions, even though they are often the individuals who have the most contact with people receiving treatment. In 2012, the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida was granted permission to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Healthcare. The goal of this program is to better prepare direct service workers to meet the changing demands and needs of the behavioral healthcare workforce.

Method:  History of the degree program and its development,  content of curriculum and rationale for its structure , number and socio-demographic characteristics of students; trends in choices of concentration; trends in employment opportunities for graduates, and findings from the Department's consensus panel on future directions.

Findings:The Behavioral Healthcare major requires students to complete 37 hours of university coursework, 22 hours in foundation classes and 15 hours in a concentration, and offers students a choice among five concentrations: (1) adult community behavioral health, (2) children’s mental health, (3) substance abuse disorders, (4) applied behavioral analysis, and (5) research.  In addition, students complete a one semester field experience at a local service provider agency.

Conclusions: Offer a thoughtful analysis of the vision and structure of a professional program designed to prepare direct service workers to meet the changing demands and needs of the behavioral healthcare

Learning Areas:

Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
Discuss three issues currently facing the behavioral healthcare workforce. Explain the basic program structure of this behavioral healthcare degree program. List the employment opportunities of graduates of the behavioral healthcare major.

Keyword(s): Mental Health, Workforce Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Associate Dean of the College in which this new degree program resides and I was a major contributor to the development and implementation of this degree program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5169.0: Elevating Behavioral Health Within Public Health Departments and Programs:The Ball is in our Court