Many people feel at a loss as to how to best provide support to individuals with a dual diagnosis (individuals with an Intellectual Disability and Autism with cooccurring mental health issues, and challenging behaviors) to lead healthy, happy, and meaningful lives. Current best practices and supportive models that have shown to be most helpful are sometimes beyond the reach of people who work directly with individuals with a dual diagnosis. The Capacity Building Institute (CBI), presented by the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) addresses these issues from an individual and systemic level through training, integration of knowledge into practice, and opportunities to build a statewide cohort to work together to effect change and build capacity. The participants will share individual best practice experiences leading to recommendations to ODP and OMHSAS to facilitate a more effective delivery of services across systems.

The Capacity Building Institute (CBI), provides an in-depth learning opportunity to professionals across the entire service partnership including direct support staff and supervisors, supports coordinators/case managers and supervisors, agency trainers, managed care organizations, behavior specialists, psychiatrists, professional counselors and therapists, and dual diagnosis treatment teams. CBI participants represent a wide range of agencies including Direct Support Providers, Supports Coordination, State Hospitals, State Centers, Adolescent Residential Treatment Facilities, Autism Supports, Education, Resources and Training Centers, Administrative Entities, and the Health Care Quality Units.

Please see the attached Invitation to Apply to the Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (Year 2). PCBI is geared toward professionals across child-serving systems that are interested in learning more about how to support young people with complex needs and their families in PA and in initiating system change. The PCBI offers a unique nine month, in person, multi-disciplinary, interactive learning opportunity across the entire service partnership. The Institute’s overall goal is to increase the administrative and clinical capacity across all systems to better support these youth and their families. 

There will be an information webinar this morning, September 12, 2024 at 10:00 AM.

Save the Date!

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) is excited to announce the Second Annual Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (PCBI). PCBI is a unique, interactive, educational experience which will occur over a nine-month period (March 2025 - November 2025). DHS strives to bring exceptional speakers who engage participants in a wide range of topics designed to better support children and families with complex needs across the Commonwealth. Some of the topics include infant mental health, leading through change, multisystemic planning, impact of trauma on children and families, vicarious trauma among professionals, expressive therapies, and much more. PCBI also strives to incorporate the voices and experience of the children and families using these supports and services at every juncture. PCBI is open to professionals across systems with an interest in learning more about supporting children with complex needs and system change.

• Trauma-focused mental healthcare
• Types and prevalence of trauma
• Disclosures of abuse
• Ethical principles of reporting abuse
• Expressions of trauma
• Assessing trauma and trauma-focused interviews
• Psychoeducation
• Trauma response management strategies
• Trauma processing
• Resiliency and self-care

This program was developed for

• Therapists
• Counselor
• Clinical social workers
• Participants who already have experience working with clients who have an ID/A diagnosis and are looking to gain knowledge and skills related to trauma therapy. Therapists who do not have experience with ID/A clients are also welcome to participate, but the expectation is they would be committed to taking such clients into their practice after completing the program as the purpose is to build capacity in this area across the state.

Requirements