The College of Education, Health, and Human Services Receives a Federal Grant

DEARBORN, MI - The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) received funding of $290,684 from the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop a suite of academic certificate programs for behavioral and mental health careers.

(CNS Photo/Nancy Phelan Wiechec)

This grant provides funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program.

“The Administration is committed to ensuring that Americans of all ages have access to quality mental health and substance abuse services,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “These grants are an important step toward that goal by creating an educational pipeline for future behavioral health providers so people in need can get the care they deserve.”

CEHHS applied for this grant over last summer. The overall goal of the award is to train 125 paraprofessionals through a sustainable suite of certificate programs. CEHHS has been developing a comprehensive system of interlocking certificates focused on the paraprofessional level of behavioral and mental health careers.

 

Dean Janine Janosky

"This award, through HRSA, provides the opportunity for CEHHS to finalize the development of the IMPACT Certificate Program", explained CEHHS dean Janine Janosky. "This will allow CEHHS and UM-Dearborn to lead in not only offering in-demand programs to our students, but also to fill much needed gaps in available mental health professionals in our region through immediate employability and economic mobility for students."

This program development focuses on the next cluster of certificates, the IMPACT Certificate Program, which will prepare individuals for paraprofessional careers in behavioral and mental health as well as entry into bachelor’s degree programs. With this HRSA funding, CEHHS will develop courses and build a system of certificates using four common core courses that are followed by focused courses tailored toward one of four certificates: Social Service Technician, Child Life Assistant, Psychiatric Technician, and Mental Health Technician.

This funding will allow CEHHS to:

1. recruit,support, and train 125 paraprofessionals;
2. further expand its community partnerships to ensure field placements, career development, and job placement for its students; and
3. evaluate and report on the program outcomes and impact.

Associate Dean Laura Reynolds explains, “This grant will allow CEHHS to expand the College’s contribution to the metropolitan community by providing access to training for individuals in high-need behavioral and mental health fields at the paraprofessional level.  Through this grant, individuals will be able to increase their economic and professional capacity, while at the same time providing much needed services in behavioral and mental health in southeastern Michigan.” 

Associate Dean Laura Reynolds

With CEHHS’ experience delivering certificate courses to students, this is an opportunity for students to secure high paying employment situations that will improve the health of Southeastern Michigan through working with at-risk children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth.

The certificate courses have an emphasis on prevention, intervention and approaches for those at risk of developing mental and substance uses disorders as well as involving families in the prevention and treatment of behavioral health conditions.

New Librarian for the College of Education, Health, and Human Services

DEARBORN, MI - The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) is pleased with the arrival of a new librarian who will give support to faculty and students in their research activities and use of information resources.

Raya Samet

Her name is Raya Samet. She received her Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan with focus on K-12 Media, and has spent 5 years as a middle and high school librarian in Independent schools in both Ohio and Michigan. Her undergraduate degree is also from UM in Modern Middle East and North African Studies, and included assisting with multimedia work on the Building Islam in Detroit Project which has now toured the globe. She also spent a year studying at Tel Aviv University as part of their Overseas Students Program. She speaks fluent Hebrew and has studied Spanish and Arabic.

Raya is excited to provide deeper information literacy and research support for CEHHS, and looks forward to partnering with faculty and students. She also hopes to get involved with the Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity and its research and community outreach projects. Raya will split her time between her offices in the Mardigian Library and Fairlane Center South, but is always accessible for the needs of CEHHS students and faculty.

 "It's my job to make sure that you're connected to world-class information resources, and that you have all the tools that you need to do high-quality research", Raya said and she added, "I challenge you to ask me questions and bring me problems that you run into when you're trying to find books, articles, or use websites to find information. The library is here to support you, and I'm here to personalize that support so that you get what you need."

Mardigian Library

   Some of the services that Raya can offer include:

•  Research guides -- collaborating with faculty to develop custom online research guides (LibGuides) as needed for classes and assignments.
• In-class instruction --  instruction sessions that focus on information literacy topics (plagiarism, citing sources, etc), using the library, or using database resources.
• Embedding into Canvas -- embedding into Canvas to answer questions and help with research and writing assignments.
• Creating assignments - designing assignments that teach your students how to use information while learning course content.
• Collection development -- purchasing books, journals, databases and other resources (as budget allows).
• Workshops -- providing workshops for library/research related topics (e.g. using a citation management tool).
• Curriculum Development -- assisting faculty with curriculum development, including help finding class readings and resources.
• Consultations for one-on-one and small group research assistance -- meeting with students for more in-depth research help.

 

  Feel free to contact Raya with requests, questions, and just to say hello!

    - Email: rsamet@umich.edu
    - Phone: 313-593-4936
    - Office: 1223C Mardigian Library & FCS C6
    - Schedule a research consultation online: http://bit.ly/2bbIVA4

CEHHS Welcomes Back Students

DEARBORN, MI - Imagine you are a freshman in college or a transfer student about to start classes at a university.  The expectations are new, the faces are new, the campus is new and you are filled with a mix of excitement and anxiety. “Just make it through the first week!” you tell yourself.  The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) wants to ensure that students feel welcome and supported in their experience at UM-Dearborn every day, but especially during that unpredictable first week. 

Jonathan Larson, Academic Advisor and Tahnee Prokopow,
Director of Health Professions Advising

This year the CEHHS Office of Student Success (OSS) comprised of advisors and academic support staff, decided to ramp up their welcome back activities and meet students where they are.  The office set up a station for the first two days in the 2nd floor lobby of Fairlane Center South and offered students coffee, donuts, and pizza on their way to and from classes, as well as access to their Academic Advisors and a chance to play a “Spin to Win” game.  Additionally in the OSS, students were offered snacks labeled with funny sayings about getting through the first week of classes.

Students visiting the office during the first week of classes had an opportunity to visit the CEHHS Selfie Station and take a picture with a white board stating what they hoped to learn or accomplish this semester. 

Playing "Minute to Win It" at the
University Center

To kick off the first Monday classes, Academic Advisors Jonathan Larson and Lindsey Tarrant, set up on the University Center Stage to play “Minute to Win it” games and answer advising questions with students.

"The Welcome Week activities were a great way to connect and re-connect with students who attended UM-Dearborn last year, or who attended freshman or transfer orientation over the summer.  It was refreshing to see so many CEHHS students as they started Fall 2016", said Jonathan Larson.

 
The Office of Student Success organized the series of “welcome back” activities to ensure students have the opportunity to meet the staff that is available to support them and remind them to have a little fun during their first week of classes.

“I think one of the most simple but helpful ways we were able to support students this week was showing them to their classrooms", said Lindsey Tarrant. "Fairlane Center South can be a maize to those not familiar with it and you could just see the stress on faces when students came up the stairwell.

Lindsey Tarrant, Academic Advisor receives students
in the second floor lobby of Fairlane Center South

Being out in the lobby afforded us, as staff, to be able to introduce ourselves, walk students to their first class, and relieve any of their worries of being late.” 

In addition to the activities, the CEHHS Office of Student Success remained open an extra hour to be available to students needing to add or drop classes, set up advising appointments, and to help students find their way to their 6:00p classes. 

The main goal of these activities was to give a warm reception to all students and make them feel at home. Though the Welcome Week is over, all CEHHS staff is still here to support students.

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services is pleased to welcome all UM-Dearborn students, new and returning, and wishes them success in this Fall 2016 semester!

Contact the CEHHS Office of Student Success:
Fairlane Center South, 262
313 - 593- 5090
Visit the Office of Student Success webpage. 
 For Academic Advising schedule your appointment online.
 

CEHHS Office of Student Success Team (from left to right):
Jonathan Larson, Carolyn Williams, Lindsey Tarrant,
Elizabeth Morden, Judy Garfield and Joann Otlewski

CEHHS Faculty on International Endeavors

 Dearborn, MI - Two faculty members of the UM-Dearborn College of Education, Health, and Human Services traveled internationally this summer to conduct research or teach. Dr. Kim Killu traveled to East Africa as visiting lecturer and Dr. Dara Hill went to Germany for research. 

Dr. Kim Killu traveled this summer to Tanzania
as visiting lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam.

  “Karibu sana!” were the warm words of welcome Dr. Kim Killu, professor of special education, heard frequently this summer during her five week tour of East Africa.  In addition to having opportunities to meet and speak with governmental leaders and advocates for individuals with disabilities in Kenya and Tanzania, she also had the opportunity to work closely with faculty, staff, and students as a visiting lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Dr. Killu taught classes on concepts and strategies in special education and applied behavior analysis, worked with masters and doctoral students on the development of their theses and dissertations, and met with university faculty and administrators on ways to develop a collaborative relationship between the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the University of Dar es Salaam.  The School of Education at the University of Dar es Salaam is especially interested in establishing a relationship with CEHHS on research collaboration, program and course development, and a student exchange program.

Dr. Killu with students, faculty, and administrators at the University of Dar es Salaam

 “I was struck by not only how welcoming, interested, gracious, and engaged everyone in the university community was during my visit, but also by the lack of current research, knowledge, and information within a university setting.   There is a sincere interest to develop a relationship with us, because the opportunity to make a profound difference in the lives of so many people is there” said Dr. Killu.

 

Dr. Dara Hill

Another faculty member who also traveled abroad on a research endeavor is Dr. Dara Hill, associate professor of reading and language arts, who spent three weeks this summer in the Baden-Wuerttemberg region in Germany. Dr. Hill wanted to investigate the phenomenon of high performing immigrant youth in a German college preparatory school (locally known as Gymnasium). More specifically, she wanted to investigate teachers' perspectives and expectations for the students, in a region where the current body of research informs that few immigrant youth make it to the Gymnasium, and instead struggle in low performing schools, and thus experience limited opportunities in school and society. Out of 1300 students in this school, there are 140 immigrant students representing 23 nations including Turkey, Vietnam, Pakistan, the US, and India. Hill mentioned that "Although this might seem small, it's significant--30 years ago when I attended school with my cousin in Gymnasium, there were no immigrant students, with the exception of me, and I was just visiting!". 

Preparatory School in Germany

 For her research, she interviewed seven teachers and the headmaster seeking to identify the perspectives and identities of participants who represented caring and culturally responsive teachers of immigrant youth. Preliminary findings include teachers whose experiences and identities led them to overwhelmingly maintain high expectations for immigrant youth who were well assimilated into school and society.  During the time of the study, Syrian refugees emerged in the community, but not in the school context.  Participants indicated an uncertain future in the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis and encouraged Hill to return in a few years to examine the school landscape as the school demography changes.

"I would say the biggest take away for me was the welcoming atmosphere where the students were proud of their heritage and were embraced by their teachers, against the grain of the literature that suggested otherwise.  So it was an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to have access to the school site.", said Dr. Hill.