Workforce Development
We created the COP-RCORP Workforce Development Workgroup to address workforce development goals in the four counties. Representatives from each local consortium participated in the Workforce Development Workgroup’s monthly meetings to discuss local challenges, identify opportunities for collaboration, and share ideas and successes. Follow the links below for more information on the planning and implementation aspects of workforce development.
COP-RCORP Process for Addressing Workforce Development
Workforce capacity is critical to addressing substance use disorders and behavioral health services. With funding from the HRSA RCORP Planning Grant, each community developed an actionable workforce plan that addresses the gaps in the prevention, treatment, and recovery workforce identified in the community needs assessment. By convening key workforce development partners and stakeholders to identify workforce needs, communities can better prepare for increasing access to services.
With funding from the HRSA RCORP Implementation Grant, a Workforce Development Workgroup was formed with representation from each local consortium to continue efforts on workforce development. The workgroup meets monthly to discuss local challenges, identify opportunities for collaboration, and share ideas and successes. The workgroup commenced with some essential planning steps to outline each community’s workforce development team and goals.
First, the workgroup completed a list describing each local workforce development team. A local team was identified to participate in local planning, complete a strategic plan, and implement workforce development strategies and activities. This stage also involved brainstorming the strengths, challenges, and strategies for the team to strengthen the substance use disorder workforce in each local community.
Building upon the Workforce Development Needs Assessment completed as part of the RCORP Planning grant, each workgroup member led their local consortium to select a problem of practice by completing a step-by-step Workforce Development Problem of Practice Module. The module leads local consortiums through the process of identifying a problem of practice to guide efforts to address workforce development in COP-RCORP communities.
Finally, members worked collectively and with their local consortium to create a strategic plan to address this locally selected workforce development priority. Utilizing the prioritized problem of practice, workgroup members completed a strategic plan map and strategy description form including action plan.
COP-RCORP Workforce Development Outcomes and Successes
Creating career ladders for the local prevention, treatment, and recovery workforces came out of ongoing workgroup discussions around recruitment, hiring, and retention issues in rural communities. Each county consortium examined community needs and career paths to create locally responsive career ladders.
The COP-RCORP Workforce Development Workgroup hosted a webinar to share the process and utility of locally responsive career ladders.
In addition to the COP-RCORP master consortium working collectively on career ladders and other workforce development priorities, individual county agencies organize and facilitate various other workforce development activities independently.
Click the logos below to learn more about each community’s career ladder as well as their individual efforts in the workforce development space.
