This online course is intended to assist students in developing knowledge and skills concerning the behavioral health care of school aged youth with severe emotional disorders, including the conceptual, philosophical, operational, structural and procedural mechanisms commonly associated with system-level service coordination and delivery. This course involves students in both the methodological as well as operational features of the Systems of Care. Therefore, the course is designed around assigned readings that address methodological issues, and structured field work which focuses on the operational elements of Systems of Care.
Major issues addressed include:
Course Objectives include being able to:
Available Materials
Course Syllabus/Description/Reading [53kb pdf]
System of Care Assessmen Flowchart [38kb pdf]
Worksheet A [108kb pdf]
Course description: As advocated by Stroul, et al (1996), there has been a long standing call for change in the system of care for children with severe emotional disorders. However, as noted by Hall and Hord (2001), change is not an event, but rather a process that impacts individual and organizational principles, perspectives, techniques, and even feelings. In order to facilitate change within their local array of services, it is important that students be aware of the historical aversion, and existing resistance to prescribed change in children’s public mental health services. Further, as suggested by Lyons (2004), students need practical information concerning the naturally evolving role of existing services, while at the same time challenging these practices through new and creative ideas to bring about change in their respective system of care. Finally, students need more than a text driven understanding of why the current System of Care exists and its need for, but resistance to, change. Specifically, students will design a guided research project in which they will be required to plan, implement, and evaluate specific activities which result in positive and measurable change within their respective Systems of Care.
Course Goals:
Available Materials
Course Syllabus/Description/Reading [15kb pdf]