No access
Brief Report
Published Online: 11 September 2024

A National Snapshot of Training and Technical Assistance Needs Within the Mental Health Workforce

Heather J. Gotham, Ph.D. [email protected], Felicia Benson, M.A., Ricardo Canelo, M.P.H., Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Ph.D., Mia Navarro, M.S., Christina N. Clayton, M.S.W., Darice Orobitg-Brenes, Ph.D., Ibis Carrión-González, Psy.D., Kathyleen Tomlin, Ph.D., L.P.C., and Jonathan R. Olson, Ph.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Preprint
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20230602
Track CitationsAdd to favorites
Get Access

Abstract

Objective:

This report summarizes results from a national survey that aimed to assess the training and technical assistance needs of individuals who work in mental health.

Methods:

A survey was distributed to mental health workers by 10 regional centers of a large, nationwide, federally funded training and technical assistance network during January–October 2021.

Results:

A total of 2,321 individuals from 58 states and territories responded to the survey. The three training and technical assistance needs they indicated most frequently were equitable and culturally responsive services, co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, and mental health awareness and literacy.

Conclusions:

The survey findings reflect the continued need to address inequities in mental health services, particularly for communities of color. In addition, a cluster of topics (i.e., mental health awareness and literacy, trauma-informed care, crisis services, grief, and provider well-being) stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the nation’s mental health.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Get Access

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Preprint
PubMed: 39257311

History

Received: 4 December 2023
Revision received: 29 March 2024
Revision received: 13 May 2024
Revision received: 9 July 2024
Accepted: 18 July 2024
Published online: 11 September 2024

Keywords

  1. continuing education
  2. education (nonmedical)
  3. staff training/inservice
  4. cross-cultural issues

Authors

Details

Heather J. Gotham, Ph.D. [email protected]
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Felicia Benson, M.A.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Ricardo Canelo, M.P.H.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Ph.D.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Mia Navarro, M.S.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Christina N. Clayton, M.S.W.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Darice Orobitg-Brenes, Ph.D.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Ibis Carrión-González, Psy.D.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Kathyleen Tomlin, Ph.D., L.P.C.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author
Jonathan R. Olson, Ph.D.
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (Gotham, Benson, Canelo, Navarro); Southeast MHTTC, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Walker); Northwest MHTTC, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Clayton, Olson); National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Orobitg-Brenes, Carrión-González); National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Tomlin).
View all articles by this author

Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Gotham ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Funding Information

This brief report was prepared with funds from cooperative agreement SM-18-015 with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The views contained in this report do not reflect the official position of SAMHSA or the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). No official support for or endorsement of DHHS or SAMHSA findings described in this report is intended or should be inferred.

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard
Tips for downloading citations

View Options

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login
Item saved, go to cart
Purchase Options

Purchase this article to access the full text.

PPV Articles - Psychiatric Services

PPV Articles - Psychiatric Services

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

View options

PDF/EPUB

View PDF/EPUB

Full Text

View Full Text

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share

×

As described within the American Psychiatric Association (APA)'s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences. Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.