Public academic training partnerships for paraprofessionals who provide psychiatric rehabilitation

Abstract The call for paraprofessional staff to provide case management, skills training, and other direct care services is increasing due to budgetary constraints, managed care, and, in some geographic areas, a scarcity of available professionals. The Illinois Department of Human Services Office of Mental Health and the University of Chicago Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation are collaborating with the community college system and others to develop and implement the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Certificate Program (PRCP) for training paraprofessional staff. This paper discusses the need for paraprofessional training in psychiatric rehabilitation and describes Illinois' efforts to address this need through a structured certificate program in community colleges.