Education and Training

Sandy Rosenblum., Director

The first two thirds of the year 2001 were active and productive for the Department of Education and Training. Considerable training was done on the in-patient units. New offerings were developed and existing programs were evaluated and improved based on quality assurance data, departmental aggregate data, surveys, evaluations and interviews. In addition, meetings of the Education and Training Committee provided essential information as to Institute training needs.

However, the events of September 11th dramatically changed the focus of our work for the remainder of the year. The Department played an important role in helping to coordinate the various services provided to employees and the community in the aftermath of the disaster. We were involved in the production and dissemination of written information in both English and Spanish to help people deal with trauma. We helped to organize groups for staff to give them an opportunity to give voice to their fears and concerns. We worked together with Milton Wainberg and Jaime Carcamo to provide clinical supervision to clinicians working with individuals suffering from trauma. We participated in the Institute Trauma Committee, chaired by David Hellerstein, M.D., and with the Washington Heights Community Service to develop lists of clinicians willing to offer their services. We also assisted the Washington Heights Community Service and Anxiety Clinic in setting up the numerous training sessions held for our own staff and for the community, as well. The efforts of innumerable people were successful in providing a flow of important information, offering vital services, and in fostering a calm environment at the Institute in the midst of all the chaos. Despite the additional unexpected work caused by the World Trade Center disaster, the essential work of the Department proceeded without serious interruption.

Orientation for new employees occurred monthly with two significant improvements in 2001. One important addition was a presentation on Ethics and Research by David Strauss, M.D., the Chairperson of the IRB. The talk covered issues of informed consent, risks and benefits, respect for persons, and beneficence. The other valuable improvement was a slide presentation by Abbey Martinez, P.I.’s Diversity Planner. The information covered five mandates of OMH with particular emphasis on Sexual Harassment Prevention.

In addition to highlighting Sexual Harassment Prevention during New Employee Orientation, Abbey Martinez offers comprehensive training sessions in the prevention of
sexual harassment throughout the year. Our Department coordinated and scheduled the training sessions for all staff in 2001.

All new employees are required to receive safety training at the beginning of their employment. By working closely with the State and Research Foundation Personnel Offices and with Matt Gold, Director of Volunteers, the Department was very successful in ensuring that all new employees, volunteers and WEP workers were trained in Fire Safety, Hazard Communication and Infection Control, as soon as they began work.

For staff to deliver the best quality patient care, to conduct the most productive research and to provide the best training for students, they must be versed in the up-to-date knowledge and skills of their disciplines. To this end the Department serves a vital role in providing pertinent information and services to all staff at the Institute. In collaboration with the Nursing Department’s staff development nurses and the Director of Education and Training, relevant issues were covered in training. The information included: admission screens and triggers, immediately reportable incidents, sentinel events, key policy manual, organ donation policy, policy forms update, patient safety standards, fall prevention, and the new behavior management form.

Other training provided by the Department in conjunction with the nursing clinical specialists included annual updates in “Preventing and Managing Crisis Situations.” Sessions were held on every unit with each of the three shifts. The Institute’s approach to crisis prevention, procedures in reducing restraint and seclusion, and patient and staff safety were reviewed.

Careful thought and planning also went into improving the MHTA traineeship in an effort to tailor it to the educational levels of the participants. Choices of videos, reading assignments, and levels of lectures were carefully evaluated to ensure that the information was clear and understandable and would be able to be transferred to work on the patient units.

Grouping the participants according to skill level in 2001 seems to have resulted in a higher number of staff who successfully complete the CPR course and receive certification. The Department will continue to assess this approach in 2002 in an effort to determine the efficacy of homogeneous grouping and CPR certification success.

On-going assessments of all staff also enable the Department of Education and Training to determine other training needs at the Institute.

English-as-a Second Language classes were offered again in 2001. Responding to concerns of the Housekeeping Department that a number of its WEP workers and other new cleaners were having difficulties understanding English, we initiated a new basic English-as-a Second Language class exclusively for housekeeping staff. The class focuses on vocabulary related to housekeeping duties and equipment and assists the staff in communicating with their supervisors and other P.I. employees.

At New Employee Orientation, a number of new employees when completing the Learning Needs Survey communicated a need to improve their English language skills. A second ESL class to address their need for improvement was offered twice a week for 20 week cycles.

On-the-job Writing classes were also offered as well, in 2001. Grammar and sentence structure were reviewed and writing exercises relevant to work requirements were assigned to the employees who participated in the class.

Employees who work directly with Spanish-speaking patients and their families receive priority in registering for the Conversational Spanish class. Team-teaching was initiated in the Summer semester and continued during the Fall semester as well. This approach gave the class opportunity to hear additional native speakers and made practice possible in small groups.

In response to requests from department heads, we have made significant improvement regarding the training of all new supervisory personnel in supervisory techniques. Working together with the other New York City Office of Mental Health facilities and with the Central O.M.H. Training Bureau in Albany, we have organized a three day class in “Practical Skills in Supervision” which is now being offered in New York City on a quarterly basis. Eight of our new supervisors attended during 2001.

The Department also continued to address the computer training needs of the staff with classes offered at the Computer Training Lab. In 2001, we offered 24 classes during the Spring, Summer and Fall semesters with a total registration of 190 staff members. Clearly the need for computer training is still increasing at the Institute, and we are meeting that need with more classes, as well as additions to our schedule.

In preparation for the new electronic medical record, which is scheduled to go into effect at P.I. in June 2002, we began to do assessments of the computer skills of new clinical staff during their orientation period.

Another important way the Department endeavors to promote self-development, professional growth, and continued learning to all P.I. employees is by providing academic and career counseling and vocational testing for staff. In all, the Department counseled 542 employees regarding promotional opportunities, career plans, tuition reimbursement programs, and continuing education.

During the year, the Department continued to administer the tuition reimbursement program for the Research Foundation. In addition, the Department informed PEF, CSEA and MC staff members regarding their unions and state tuition programs and provided assistance in applying to Public Service Workshops and external educational programs during the year.
The Institute supports the educational pursuits of its staff by granting educational leave with pay, when appropriate. Educational leave is granted to an employee in coordination with the various departments of the Institute and the Education Committee, which the Director of Education and Training chairs and which serves as a forum for discussion and decision-making.

PLANS FOR 2002
The year 2002 promises to be an extremely busy one for the Department of Education and Training. A number of new initiatives will greatly affect training offerings. The new Mental Health Automated Record System (MHARS) will necessitate computer proficiency for all members of our clinical staff. We are already assessing the level of MHARS users and will soon begin training classes.

The new HIPAA regulations will also require major training in 2002. All staff will need to be trained in the regulations, which will necessitate a great outlay of resources and time.