Workforce Development in Maine: Behavioral Health Training

By 2030, it is projected that there will be a 15% increase in demand for addiction counselors, and others who support those in recovery, across the United States, among other behavioral health-related careers, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

MCD Global Health’s Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Center (RBHWC) provides numerous training opportunities in workforce development, specifically Maine behavioral health training for those who want to start or expand their career as a recovery coach.

But first, what is behavioral health?

What is Behavioral Health?

Behavioral health refers to mental health and substance use disorders (SUD), life stressors and crises, and stress-related physical symptoms. Caring for behavioral health involves prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of such conditions, according to the American Medical Association.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), one in five adults in the U.S. have a clinically significant mental health or substance use disorder, with a sharp increase in the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions among children and teens.

In Maine, fatal overdoses rose 33% in 2020 compared to 2019 with 83% caused by opioids. This increase was largely driven by nonpharmaceutical drugs, primarily fentanyl, according to the Maine Office of the Attorney General's 2020 Maine Drug Death Report (PDF).

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Filling the Gap: Offering Recovery Coach Training & Building Mentorships

Maine counties where partipants live or work

Because of the growing need for behavioral health professionals to fill gaps in care in Maine, the RBHWC offers numerous peer support training online as well as in person. Such initiatives bring new workers into the behavioral health workforce; support early career staff to develop new skills; and offer opportunities to health providers to enhance their skill in treatment and intervention for behavioral health needs.

"This work keeps me mindful ... and sets me up to be able to work in all these [behavioral health] settings."

—Danielle, RBHWC training participant

Through these behavioral health training opportunities, MCD’s RBHWC team aims to develop Maine’s behavioral health workforce to meet existing and future health care needs, especially in rural and underserved communities.

Current Training Events:

Currently, RBHWC offers three ongoing virtual events throughout 2023 for those who are in recovery, affected others, and allies and want to pursue career in peer support or as a recovery coach, as well as for prescribers and office staff who already work in behavioral health:

MOUD ECHO Training: This training is for prescribers and staff who treat patients for opioid use disorder and work ine onf of the following Maine counties: Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Oxford, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington.
Supervision in Behavioral Health ECHO: Designed for individuals who are currently a supervisor or looking to become one, this 12-part series will connect participants with mentorship opportunities.
Recovery Jobs for Beginners: This workshop series focuses on accelerating a person's entry into and progression in behavioral health careers, designed for people with lived experience, affected others, and allies.

"The little things peers do for their people mean so much to them because they're simply giving them the respect and value we all need. We've lost family, we've lost friends, but we also know what it's like to come through it."

—Kim, RBHWC training participant

People with lived experience of SUD often have the best skillsets and deepest connection to behavioral health work, but their histories and trauma may get in the way of employment opportunities. Similarly, doctors, providers, and medical staff may need help to understand how best to support people in recovery. The RBHWC seeks to raise confidence, provide knowledge, and remove barriers to the workforce for those who have much to bring to their communities.

MCD's aim is for the RBHWC’s work to provide an infusion of talent, skills, and stability to Maine’s rural behavioral health so that people who need services will be able to access them with the ease, compassion, and quality they deserve.

The Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Center is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,080,000 with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.