Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment

Transcription

1 Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment Dr. Edward Ableser, Director Legislative Committee on Health Care June 29, 2016 Update on social worker / mental health worker hiring status: County Awarded Hired LCSW MSW LSW MHC Nurse LPC/MFT CHW Clinical Psych Totals Elko Clark Carson Douglas Churchill Humbolt Lander Lyon Nye Washoe White Pine Charter TOTAL Since 3/23 +53

2 Update Concerning Nevada s Department of Education Block Grant to Provide Social Workers and Licensed Mental Health Workers in Schools Barriers to providing highly qualified social workers or other mental health professionals in schools: expedited application process access to tele-supervision standardization for clinical internship sites standardized reciprocity oversight of licensing boards Expedited Application Process all behavioral health licensing boards have differing expectations & timelines for the licensing process centralize licensing for all behavioral health professionals within the Department of Health and Human Services increased efficiency of application process utilizing existing state resources within DHHS standardizes & formalizes expectations for licensing of all behavioral health professionals expands possibility for expedited online application platform

3 Access to Tele-Supervision many mental health licensing boards do not allow for telesupervision for required clinical hours for licensure lack of qualified mental health providers in many rural & frontier counties who are able to provide clinical supervision amend regulatory codes to allow for tele-supervision, at the discretion of the clinical supervisor increased ability to allow for clinical services within rural & frontier counties, where there is a documented high level of need Standardization for Clinical Internship Sites requirements for clinical internship sites are not clearly outlined decisions regarding approval of clinical internship sites and clinical internships are done on a case by case basis standardize the requirements for clinical internship sites such that all schools may be included as clinical sites where individuals can obtain hours for licensure increased capacity to train & place highly qualified mental health professionals within school settings increased ability to allow for clinical services within rural & frontier counties, where there is a documented high level of need

4 Standardized Reciprocity Existing barrier: all behavioral health licensing boards have differing definitions & requirements regarding the granting of reciprocal licenses amend regulatory code to reflect uniform & predictable requirements for reciprocity & substantially equivalent criteria across all behavioral health licensing boards Benefit: allows school districts & other mental health providers to recruit outside of the state in order to address identified shortages in workforce, with predictable outcomes regarding what level of reciprocal license will be obtained Oversight of Behavioral Health Licensing Boards Existing barrier: there is currently no avenue for licensed behavioral health professionals to file complaints against or appeal the decisions of individual behavioral health licensing boards create a governing body that can serve as an ombudsman for all behavioral health professionals regarding complaints of the administrative, licensing, & regulatory behaviors of their respective boards provides for a system of checks & balances for behavioral health licensing boards provides a voice for licensed behavioral health professionals

5 The mission ion of the Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment is to train, empower, educate, collaborate, advocate and intervene in order to ensure that every student in Nevada, regardless of any differing characteristic or interest feels fully protected physically, emotionally, and socially.