Enhancing behavioral health competencies for senior center staff through workforce development and training

Increases in the numbers of older adults with mental health and substance use concerns compel us to identify best practices in training to address these issues. Senior Centers are an ideal location for behavioral health education programs as they are the go-to place for many older adults. This paper describes an online certificate program in Behavioral Health and Aging offered by the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at Boston University School of Social Work in collaboration with the National Council on Aging to increase senior center staff knowledge and skills. A total of 228 senior center staff in Illinois, Florida, and Wisconsin completed the online certificate program. There were statistically significant changes in key competencies for all courses based on pre-post assessment. We held key informant interviews to assess the impact of training and participants stated that their knowledge, skills, and behaviors were influenced by the program.