Training and supervision of residential staff in community-based treatment facilities

Abstract

Oregon's Public Mental Health System employs a large number of unlicensed personnel with limited formal mental health training, both in state hospitals and in residential treatment programs. These mental health paraprofessionals often have the most frequent and direct contact with seriously mentally ill individuals, and therefore have significant impact on their lives. The authors describe organization as well as clinical and administrative supervision of a mostly paraprofessional team working with severely and persistently mentally ill (SPMI) criminal offenders. The purpose of this article is to delineate the most important factors allowing for effective and safe utilization of the fairy unsophisticated personnel in the community based-secure treatment facility for individuals under criminal commitment, conditionally released from Oregon State Hospital.