DOC HEALS

A provider who is trained and educated in the performance of behavior health services through interpersonal communications and analysis. Training and education at the specialty level usually requires a master's degree and clinical experience and supervision for licensure or certification.

Drama therapists are trained in the intentional use of drama and theatre processes to achieve therapeutic goals. Drama therapists provide psychotherapy for individuals living with mental health and behavioral concerns that may result in psychological suffering, impaired relationships, or distress in daily activities. Drama therapy promotes wellness and healing within the context of a therapeutic relationship for individuals of varying ability levels across the lifespan. Drama therapy can take many forms depending on individual and group needs, skill and ability levels, interests, and therapeutic goals. Processes and techniques may include improvisation, theater games, storytelling, and enactment.

Health educators work in a variety of settings providing education to individuals or groups of individuals on healthy behaviors, wellness, and health-related topics with the goal of preventing diseases and health problems. Health educators generally require a bachelor's degree and may receive additional training, such as through mentoring, internships, or volunteer work.

A medical or mental health professional who has attained credentials after satisfactorily completing a poetry therapy training program approved by the National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy (NFBPT). Training includes didactic work, peer group experience, and supervised practicum.<br/>An NFBPT credentialed certified poetry therapist (CPT) or registered poetry therapist (PTR) integrates discussion of published literature and reflective or creative writing into the psychotherapeutic process to achieve goals of emotional well-being, symptom reduction, and improved interpersonal communication.<br/>Certified poetry therapists and registered poetry therapists are licensed mental health professionals with advanced training in the theory and practice of poetry therapy. CPTs and PTRs are qualified to work independently with emotionally troubled populations in clinical, rehabilitative, community and educational institutions. They also work with emotionally healthy individuals adjusting to developmental issues, life crises, or disabilities. The PTR completes an advanced level of training and fieldwork, commensurate with the highest levels of clinical practice. The terms poetry therapy, applied poetry facilitation, journal therapy, bibliotherapy, biblio/poetry therapy, and poetry/journal therapy reflect the interactive use of literature and/or writing to promote personal growth and emotional healing. In addition to poetry, poetry therapy applies all forms or written and spoken language including story, myth, folk and fairy tale and other genres of poetic expression as well as journal, memoir, and narrative. The poetry therapy process integrates discussion of published literature and reflective or creative writing for expression and communication of thoughts and feelings to facilitate participants' emotional well-being. The field of poetry therapy encompasses all of these modalities, though only a duly trained and licensed clinical practitioner can be credentialed as CPT or PTR.

The Health & Wellness Coach is trained in motivational theories, strategies, and communication techniques, which are used to assist patients to develop intrinsic motivation and obtain skills to create sustainable change for improved health and well-being. Health and wellness coaching is a patient-centered approach wherein patients at least partially determine their goals, use self-discovery or active learning processes together with content education to work toward their goals, and self-monitor behaviors to increase accountability, all within the context of an interpersonal relationship with a coach.

Prevention Professionals work in programs aimed to address specific patient needs, such as suicide prevention, violence prevention, alcohol avoidance, drug avoidance, and tobacco prevention. The goal of the program is to reduce the risk of relapse, injury, or re-injury of the patient. Prevention Professionals work in a variety of settings and provide appropriate case management, mediation, referral, and mentorship services. Individuals complete prevention professionals training for the population of patients with whom they work.

Community health workers (CHW) are lay members of communities who work either for pay or as volunteers in association with the local health care system in both urban and rural environments and usually share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the community members they serve. They have been identified by many titles such as community health advisors, lay health advocates, "promotores(as), outreach educators, community health representatives, peer health promoters, and peer health educators. CHWs offer interpretation and translation services, provide culturally appropriate health education and information, assist people in receiving the care they need, give informal counseling and guidance on health behaviors, advocate for individual and community health needs, and provide some direct services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. Some examples of these practitioners are Community Health Aides or Practitioners established under 25 USC 1616 (l) under HHS, Indian Health Service, Public Health Service.

A private or public agency usually under local government jurisdiction, responsible for assuring the delivery of community based mental health, intellectual disabilities, substance abuse and/or behavioral health services to individuals with those disabilities. Services may range from companion care, respite, transportation, community integration, crisis intervention and stabilization, supported employment, day support, prevocational services, residential support, therapeutic and supportive consultation, environmental modifications, intensive in-home therapy and day treatment, in addition to traditional mental health and behavioral treatment.

Individuals certified to perform peer support services through a training process defined by a government agency, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or a state mental health department/certification/licensing authority.

Source: NUCC, CMS