There is a new initiative to provide career pathways to high school students in select schools who are interested in behavioral health careers.
The CLIMB 2.0 initiative is a collaboration between the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, in partnership with the Cabinet for Health and Family Service and its Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. It stands for Career Ladders in Mental and Behavioral Health.
Leslie Sizemore is the vice president for workforce and economic development with the Council. She said counties in the far eastern and western portions of the state have limited access to psychiatric help.
“We've been looking at ways through fast term, short term certificates, to enable us to be able to really extend the service providers as much as we can in those areas.” she said.
Eight eastern Kentucky high schools have been invited to participate in the program, allowing students to earn those certifications that enable them to work in the behavioral health field upon graduation and pursue additional postsecondary credentials.
- Floyd County High School
- Prestonsburg High School
- Betsy Lane High School
- Harlan County High School
- Harlan High School
- Hazard High School
- Perry County Central High School
- Buckhorn High School
Sizemore said they used a similar program with those going through addiction recovery.
“We were able to work with our community and technical colleges to really work out the pathway for those people who may be leaving drug court and going to a community college and working on a certificate that may stack into a human services degree,” she said.
Hazard Community and Technical College, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and Big Sandy Community and Technical College will pilot the program.
Sizemore said there are plans to replicate it at other Kentucky Community and Technical College System campuses. Training components for the initiative will be administered by the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health.
Some of the innovative features of CLIMB 2.0 include:
- Dual credit and Career Technical Education programs aligned with postsecondary credentials in human services and health sciences.
- Opportunities for students to graduate with stackable certifications such as registered behavior technician that prepare them for immediate employment and further education. UK CERH will oversee completion of the course curriculum and help prepare students for the examination.
- Summer bridge programs that allow students to accelerate credentialing and career readiness between school years.
- Mentorship placements in clinical and other healthcare and behavioral health facilities through UK CERH.
- Curricula based on core competencies for certified community health workers in Kentucky, developed by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is a financial supporter of WEKU.
