Professionalism (DLS A201)

(aka Skill Basics in Residential Services)

 

Spring 2008 Sections - enroll today!

• March 17-May 19, 2008 - Fully on-line
• March 27-May 19, 2008 - Blended format

Blended format, meaning students participate in an 8-hour seminar followed by seven weeks of online sessions and a 30-hour practicum. Seminars will be offered in Nome and Anchorage.

Who should take this course?

• New employees working in children's services or other provider organizations.
• Supervisors.
• Students working toward the Occupational Endorsement in Children's Residential Services.
• Direct service professionals wanting to improve their abilities to contribute to treatment teams.

Course description:

This course is intended to provide entry-level knowledge for direct service professionals working in residential settings with children and youth with challenging behaviors and/or mental health diagnoses.  Concepts introduced will include addressing youth care as a profession, ethical considerations in human services with an emphasis on confidentiality laws, client rights, and mandatory reporting issues; building and maintaining therapeutic relationships, communication skills, cultural awareness, boundaries and self-care; care management, assessment and documentation.  This course includes a 30-hour practicum.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop an understanding of the professional aspects of being a youth care worker.
• Demonstrate understanding of ethical obligations to you and their families.
• Develop an understanding of the many roles/responsibilities of the youth care worker.
• Demonstrate competencies necessary to build and maintain therapeutic relationships.
• Identify and practice self-care techniques.
• Identify advantages of being culturally sensitive in our global communities.
• Develop communication skills that enhance the therapeutic relationship.
• Describe the function of the care manager as they relate to the youth’s treatment plan.
• Identify formal and informal ways of assessing youth and their growth/development toward individualized treatment goals.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of client recordkeeping.