• Futuro Health Medi-Cal Peer Support Training Will Help Fill the Mental Health Worker Pipeline
• Our Latest Blog: What We Can Learn from Education Icon Sal Khan and His Innovations
• Meet Jordan and Erik, Medical Assistant Training Graduates
• Futuro Health Speakers Bureau
• Futuro Health in the News
• WorkforceRx Podcast: Dr. Tom Mitchell, Carnegie Mellon University impact of artificial, Episode 46: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Workforce: Listen Now
• What’s Your WorkforceRx? Expert Video Series

The pandemic has significantly exacerbated pre-existing mental health conditions, resulting in an unprecedented demand for behavioral health services. As the gap widens between those in need of mental health services and the shortage of workers to serve them, Futuro Health is helping to bridge that gap by offering a self-paced learning program for those interested in a Peer Support Specialist (PSS) career.

Peer support specialists have lived experience navigating mental health diagnoses and services through their personal recovery process, or as a parent or family member of someone with mental health or substance abuse issues. “This is a true win-win for everyone,” said James Timmons, Futuro Health Peer Support Specialist Coach. “Research suggests that incorporating peer support into behavioral health treatment programs can improve outcomes for individuals and their families, as well as opening the door for many new individuals to pursue a career in behavioral health, often leading to jobs in communities where access to mental health services is limited.”

Medi-Cal coverage of peer support specialist services follows many years of advocacy efforts led by peer-run organizations, behavioral health professionals, and other stakeholders. Their work culminated last year with the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 803, professionalizing vital peer support roles to fill the needed gap in the behavioral health care continuum.

Futuro Health’s PSS program was developed by behavioral health experts, and focuses on cultural competency, addiction recovery, trauma-informed care, mental health, and substance use, providing needed training to prepare for the Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification Exam on the pathway to a fulfilling career in behavioral health. Futuro Health’s PSS coursework began October 1st, with ongoing start dates. Training is available tuition-free for peer workers with CalMHSA approved scholarship vouchers referred by county mental health and/or substance abuse disorder programs. Click here to learn more.

What Makes Sal Khan an Education Disruptor All-Star?  Mastery-based learning will no doubt become a best practice in the future landscape of workforce development as workers struggle to pace with the rate of technology ingestion. All of us will need more strategies to accelerate our attainment and demonstration of new skills. Read our latest blog on innovation in the workplace, featuring examples of learning tools pioneered by Sal Khan and used by 135+ million people from over 190 countries.

To schedule a Futuro Health expert to speak at your organization’s event,  contact mwakely@futurohelath.org. 

Take a peek into the lives and work of Medical Assistants Jordan and Erik, as they share their experiences in their new careers in healthcare, their daily work, and how they are giving back to their communities.

Futuro Health in the News

WorkforceRx Podcast

Listen to distinguished leaders in workforce development, higher education, and healthcare share their favorite insights and takeaways from the best-selling book, “WorkforceRx: Agile and Inclusive Strategies for Employers, Educators and Workers in Unsettled Times”.

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