Health Careers
Behavioral Health Aide
Professional Activities
The Behavioral Health Aide Program is unique to Alaska and a new system for providing behavioral health care services within the Alaska Tribal Health System (ATHS) and the Nation. The Behavioral Health Aide Program was created to address rural mental health and substance abuse issues and to promote healthy individuals, families and communities in rural Alaska. Behavioral Health Aides (BHA) work to help Alaska Natives/American Indians address behavioral health concerns in rural communities who often times have limited access to behavioral health care.
The purpose of the BHA Program is to enhance village-based behavioral health services to promote healthy individuals, families and communities in rural and remote Alaska villages. The BHA Program improves the availability of behavioral health care for low-income, uninsured, non-English speaking, and rural communities in Alaska. BHAs are an integral part of the rural behavioral health care delivery system. This special group of workers is critical to rural service delivery, and to support prevention and early intervention activities to avoid more costly and higher-acuity of care.
The ATHS has invested significantly in the development of the BHA Model so that local people can be trained to provide a full range of behavioral health services. The ATHS completed a great deal of work to mature the BHA Program through standards and procedures development, implementation of a certification process, and development of assessment processes for ongoing training needs of BHAs. The BHA Program has gained national interest since its approval of the certification process by the federally recognized Community Health Aide Program Certification Board (CHAPCB).
BHAs are provided with foundational knowledge and practice information regarding working with clients of different ethnic or racial heritage, age, gender, life-style, or socioeconomic status. The BHA Certification is a multi-level provider model comprised of a BHA trainee (non-certified), BHA levels I, II, III, and a BH Practitioner. The certified BHA I & II are primary functions and the certified BHA III & BH Practitioner are expanded functions for more complex behavioral health services.
BHAs work under the supervision of a licensed clinician who is employed by an Alaska Tribal health organization. Because BHAs live and work in remote areas, they communicate regularly with their supervisors by televideo, telephone, email, and some in-person visits. BHAs generally work in the village where they live, and are employed by their tribal health organization. Some BHAs work as itinerants and may work in a number of villages throughout the year.
BHAs work with a range of clients from individuals to families to entire communities. A BHA may help individuals facing serious health problems related to lifestyle choices such as cancer, heart disease, influenza, and pneumonia. They may assist families in dealing with disruptions such as abuse, neglect or violence. BHAs may also work with whole communities in coping with injuries or deaths related to accidental or intentional injuries. They also provide suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention activities and services.
BHAs are trained to learn how to develop a helping relationship with people who are seeking treatment. They receive instruction and training on how to understand, evaluate, and provide treatment for someone facing an addiction, substance abuse/mental health issues. BHAs may provide group, family and individual counseling. They also become knowledgeable about available local and statewide resources to connect those facing behavioral health issues with these resources to help them achieve success.
Educational Requirements
BHAs have the opportunity to obtain certification based on their level of training or experience and by meeting program requirements set by the Community Health Aide Program Certification Board (CHAPCB). After BHAs complete training they may complete additional clinical work requirements to become a certified BHA.
Here is a list of approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; trainings that are sponsored by any of the following organizations are considered approved by the CHAPCB:
1. a certified CHA/P Training Center;
2. Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification;
3. the Indian Health Service (IHS);
4. an accredited postsecondary educational institution;
5. American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA);
6. American Psychiatric Association (APA);
7. American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA);
8. American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM);
9. American Psychological Association (APA);
10. American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA);
11. Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education (AACE);
12. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision(ACES);
13. Association for Counselors and Educators in Government (ACEG);
14. International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC);
15. International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC);
16. International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC);
17. National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC);
18. National Association of Social Workers (NASW); or
19. National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).
Academic Programs
Some BHA trainings are organized by the tribal health organizations. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) hosts an Annual Behavioral Health Aide Forum every year in Anchorage during the fall. The Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) has created a BHA Academy in Bethel. Contact your local behavioral health program or tribal health organization for more information about what training is offered in your area.
Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Training (RADACT) provides some of the training requirements for BHAs.
BHAs may work toward a Rural Human Services, Human Services, Social Work, or other behavioral health related Certificates, Associates Degree, Bachelors Degree, or Masters Degree, from the University of Alaska Fairbanks or an accredited college in Alaska. Rural Human Services provides entry-level training and skill development for BHAs. Training sessions are held at different sites around the state. The educational program receives guidance and direction from its Program’s Advisory Council. For further information, contact RHS Statewide Office at 1-800-478-5696 extension 2.
Contacts
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
ANTHC - DCHS
Behavioral Health & Rural Services
4000 Ambassador Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: (907) 729-2492
Fax: (907) 729-3624
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Website: http://www.anthc.org/chs/behavioral/
This page was last updated by Janice Troyer on November 14, 2011
