National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference 2024

White, S.
If the Appalachian counties of Ohio were combined into a separate state, it would be the
second-most economically distressed state in the country, according to a 2019 study by the
Ohio Alliance for Innovation in Population Health. The Appalachian Children Coalition (ACC),
a non-profit organization, was formed in March 2020 to improve the health and well-being of
the region's children through collective advocacy and strategic investments. Utilizing research
and best practices, the ACC aspires to be a servant to those who serve children by building
awareness, advocating for change, generating resources, and building a culture of collaboration
across all 32 counties in the Appalachian Ohio region. The ACC focuses its work in
Appalachian Ohio for six reasons:
Concentrated poverty
Drug exposure
Lack of acute care access
Shortage of child behavioral health specialists
Lack of broadband access
A significant philanthropy gap

This presentation will highlight the six focus areas of the ACC, with the bulk focusing on the
work of the ACC Behavioral Health Workforce Hub (The Hub).
In response to a shortage of child behavioral health specialists and based upon conversations
with numerous superintendents, mental health leaders, child advocacy leaders, child
researchers, and others across Appalachian Ohio, the ACC created The Hub to focus efforts,
resources, innovation, and research. The service goals of The Hub are:
Awareness, planning, and recruitment.
Workforce development and education pathways.
Job placement and career pathways.
Workforce support and professional development.

The Hub's services are available to behavioral and mental health providers, healthcare
organizations, schools, and agencies seeking to address their workforce needs. We recognize
that workforce challenges vary from place to place. The Hub offers services tailored to the
needs of each of our partner and affiliate organizations, as well as personalized support services
for individuals interested in behavioral and mental health careers.

This concurrent session will detail the support and programming developed to meet their
service goals, including the implementation of a free career coaching program, paid internships
for high school and college students at community behavioral health provider organizations,
over $100,000 earmarked for colleges and universities in Appalachian Ohio counties to create
innovative educational and training pathways, the creation of a Training Gateway to provide
access to training and continuing education opportunities, and the implementation of a
partner/affiliate model for community organizations to access tailored workforce support
services with over $500,000 of support disbursed so far.

Overall, this presentation will highlight the unique challenges facing Appalachian Ohio children
and families, the Appalachian Children Coalitions' approach to addressing these needs, a
focused look into the creation of the Appalachian Children Coalition Behavioral Health
Workforce Hub, and a detailed overview into the services and supports provided to individuals
and community organizations to grow and support the behavioral health workforce in
Appalachian Ohio to better serve children and families of the region.