Local Students Received Opportunity To Learn About Behavioral Health Jobs

According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in the mental health field is expected to expand faster than average as nearly one in five people in the United States have a mental health condition.

Sylvia Phillips, left, and Sarah Poltrack, two area college students interning with the East Indiana Area Health Education Center in Batesville, participate in an active listening exercise during Behavioral Health Careers Day June 7 in Lawrenceburg. The event, hosted by Community Mental Health Center, Inc. and co-sponsored by CMHC and East Indiana AHEC, provided students an opportunity to learn about careers in the behavioral health field. Photo provided.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Students from Lawrenceburg High School and South Dearborn High School got the opportunity to participate in Behavioral Health Careers Day that was hosted by Community Mental Health Center Inc. and East Indiana Area Health Education Center.

A day long workshop held on June 7, gave students the opportunity to tour CMHC facility and increase their knowledge of therapeutic listening and empathy skills.

They also received the opportunity to become certified in the Question Persuade Refer model for suicide prevention.

During the workshop participants discussed individual character strengths and how to use these strengths and were able to experience a simulation of auditory hallucinations, a common symptom of some serious mental illnesses.

Jeff Hartz, Executive Director of East Indiana AHEC said, “East Indiana AHEC was excited to work with Community Mental Health Center on Behavioral Health Careers Day, providing local students information about the variety of professional paths in the mental health field is important both to help students make informed college and career plans and also to address our region's shortage of mental health care providers.”

Students were also given the chance to have a question- and- answer session  with clinical staff members at CMHC.

According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in the mental health field is expected to expand faster than average as nearly one in five people in the United States have a mental health condition. Demand for mental health services continues to increase.

According to the BLS website, “employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 23 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling.”

East Indiana AHEC is headquartered in Batesville and works in 14 Indiana counties, and is also one of eight area health education centers in the state.

CMHS uses a network of facilities and is in five Indiana counties they also offer an array of services.

If you, or a friend or a neighbor, are dealing with depression, anger, stress, substance use problems or addiction, grief, or another mental health issue, please visit our website at https://cmhcinc.org/ to find an office near you. 24/7 services are offered by calling (812) 537-1302, or toll-free at 1-877-849-1248.

For information about East Indiana AHEC, phone 765-251-8551, or visit their website at https://eiahec.org/