Custom Training ~ Training that Transfers to the Workplace

This course provides consumer consultants the opportunity to work on communication, negotiation, and interaction skills. Consumers learn the communication skills of listening, clarifying, and summarizing. These skills are taught and practiced in a safe, consumer-only environment. In addition, participants learn how to plan, organize, and conduct productive meetings, both small and large. They come to understand the steps for meeting preparation, agenda development, participation encouragement, and realistic and effective guidelines for participant behavior. Lastly, participants are taught basic negotiation strategies and review workplace expectations with respect to dress, promptness, and general professionalism

This course is designed for both experienced and novice meeting participants. Making Meetings Work for Us starts with an opportunity to identify what currently works well and what meeting organization and behavior needs improvement. As a group, participants come to consensus on behavior guidelines. Then all present agree to adhere to these new guidelines. The components of a productive meeting are presented as well as the role of the meeting leader. Disagreements are normal and predictable in meetings. Specific communication skills that address disagreements are presented, and all participants are provided time to practice these new tools. Making Meetings Work teaches participants how to communicate so that others “hear” them. These skills include actively listening in concert with practice in clarification and summary - repeating back what another person has said before replying to ensure understanding. Giving feedback on unacceptable behavior, and learning to give and receive compliments is also taught, reviewed, and practiced. A conflict resolution model will be presented and practiced. These are skills that consumers and others will use not only in meetings, but in advocating for themselves in other settings.

All of the skills will be combined in a case study meeting in which participants practice leading a meeting, note taking, and providing feedback to each other on behavior. The day ends with an Action Plan completed by each participant, outlining how they will go forward with new information and skills.

This course is designed for both experienced and novice meeting participants. Meetings that Work for Us! starts with an opportunity to identify what currently works well and what organization and behavior needs improvement. As a group, participants come to consensus on behavior guidelines. Then, all present agree to adhere to these new guidelines. The components of a productive meeting are presented as well as the role of the meeting leader.

Disagreements are normal and predictable in meetings. Specific communication skills that address disagreements are presented, and all participants are provided time to practice these new tools. Meetings that Work for Us! teaches participants how to communicate so others “hear” them. These skills include actively listening in concert with practice in clarification and summary - repeating back what another person has said before replying to ensure understanding. Giving feedback on unacceptable behavior, and learning to give and receive compliments is also taught, reviewed, and practiced.

Mentoring is the most often identified dual (consumer, non-consumer) training need. Staff already feel overworked and they think they need specialized skills. The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) requires the county mental health departments employ clients and family members. The departments are seeking to include, in a meaningful way, clients\' and family members’ viewpoints and experiences in the creation of the new vision. One thing this means is that everyone is a mentor to some degree. Everyone who is involved with clients as employees can benefit from mentoring skills. This includes support staff.

This class focuses on the Active Teaching Skill model with a variety of identified skills that need to be learned by all staff. Does it take more time to teach someone to do a task rather than do it yourself? Yes, but only initially. If the same teaching model is used throughout an organization, it quickly becomes a time SAVER!

This course celebrates the achievements and successes of incorporating clients, former clients and client families into the workforce in a meaningful way! Games, recognition, and activities support and enhance the relationships between consumer/non-consumer employees help create and sustain a culture of inclusion and acceptance. Opportunities to discuss the changes in the workplace are plentiful as is the chance to report out challenges that still exist. Solution-oriented problem solving enhances the further development of this culture and workplace shift. All staff have the opportunity to discuss professional ethics and workplace relationships in a way that is professional, productive, and safe.

This course allows consumer employees to work on issues affecting them at work in a safe environment. Information about workplace expectations, rules, and culture including dress, hygiene, tardiness, work ethic, and pace, etc. are all addressed. Participants learn communication strategies that deal effectively with asking coworkers for help or clarification, and conflict resolution skills are learned and practiced. In addition, participants learn communication strategies that help them maintain mentor relationships with both consumers and non-consumers on the job. The benefits of a buddy system are reviewed and communication skills relative to enhancing that important workplace relationship are highlighted and practiced. Symptom management is also covered. Participants create Action Plans to transfer their learning and goals to the workplace including partnering and networking with each other in this class and outside of this class to help reinforce learning.

Understanding and Supporting Clients reviews the most commonly served mental disorders, their symptomology and current treatment options, including medications. The course includes the particular challenges of the dual-diagnosis client. A brief review of psychoactive drugs and their preference and utility for self-medicating mental disorders is included. DSM IV TR diagnosis is used as a resource.

Understanding and Supporting Clients focuses on specific skills to interact positively with consumers of mental health services. The concepts used in Motivational Interviewing (Miller & Rollnic, 2002) are reviewed with their specific application to consumers via role-play. Authentic scenarios that help staff learn to support clients in symptom management are presented as is the opportunity to practice those skills. The skills of active listening, limit setting, and active skill teaching will be included, with the opportunity to practice. The take-home workbook is a resource to reinforce transferring the skill to the workplace.

The Mental Health Services Act challenges all county mental health departments in California to
transform themselves into state-of-the-art departments. A great deal of “out of the box” thinking is happening! The Mental Health Services Act, or Proposition 63, requires the Department employmental health clients and family members. Proposition 63 seeks to include, in a meaningful way, mental health clients’ and family members’ viewpoints and experiences in the creation of a new vision for mental health services here in California. This training program is designed to help all participants identify the particular concerns that may come with implementing this workplace transition. Participants learn communication skills to
facilitate this transition. The course creates an opportunity to dialogue. Working Together: Inclusion, Collaboration, and Vision also addresses the differences among workers and explores what employees may experience, as well as offers insight into the experiences and potential challenges of the mentally disordered employee.

The Mental Health Services Act challenges all county mental health departments in California to ransform themselves into state-of-the-art departments. A great deal of “out of the box” thinking is happening! The Mental Health Services Act, or Proposition 63, requires the Department employmental health clients and family members. Proposition 63 seeks to include, in a meaningful way, mental health clients’ and family members’ viewpoints and experiences in the creation of a new vision for mental health services here in California. This training program is designed to help all participants identify the particular concerns that may come with implementing this workplace transition. Participants learn communication skills to acilitate this transition. The course creates an opportunity to dialogue. Working Together: Inclusion, Collaboration, and Vision also addresses the differences among workers and explores what employees may experience, as well as offers insight into the experiences and potential challenges of the mentally disordered employee. The participants in this class are all supervisors and managers.