Training & Technical Assistance for Behavioral Health Professionals

About Our Training & Technical Assistance

Elevating Behavioral Health Through Peer-Led Expertise

Training & Technical Assistance at Mental Health Partnerships (MHP) is a professional development initiative designed to help providers, agencies, and organizations enhance their mental health services. Our programs blend firsthand peer experience with evidence-based approaches, equipping participants to deliver more compassionate, informed, and person-centered care. Whether you run a small nonprofit in Southeastern Pennsylvania or manage a larger healthcare network, we offer tailored training solutions that bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice.

Why Focus on Peer-Informed Training?

The landscape of behavioral health is changing, with increasing recognition of how peer-led or peer-informed perspectives can radically improve outcomes. Certified Peer Specialists and people with lived experience bring authentic insights into the challenges and triumphs of mental health recovery—knowledge that no textbook can replicate. By weaving these perspectives into our training, we champion a culture of empathy, reduce stigma, and ensure that professional staff better understand the human side of treatment and support.

Core Training Offerings

• Trauma-Informed Care: Learn to identify signs of trauma, adapt environments to promote safety, and incorporate resilience-building strategies.
• Peer Support Integration: Discover best practices for hiring, training, and supervising Peer Specialists within clinical settings.
• Diversity & Cultural Competency: Gain skills to respect cultural nuances and address disparities in mental health services.
• Recovery-Oriented Practice: Shift away from symptom management toward holistic, strengths-based models of care.

Tailored Technical Assistance

Beyond stand-alone workshops or lectures, MHP offers hands-on technical assistance for organizations committed to system-level transformation. Our experts collaborate with your leadership team to conduct needs assessments, streamline workflows, and develop actionable strategies that embed recovery principles throughout your policies and practices. This could involve everything from revising intake processes to designing peer-led group curricula and implementing ongoing staff development plans.

We also specialize in guiding agencies through cultural shifts, helping staff adapt to new roles for Peer Specialists or adjusting hierarchical structures to foster genuine collaboration. This deeper-level work often results in more cohesive teams, improved staff retention, and better outcomes for service users.

Interactive Learning & Real-Time Feedback

Our Training & Technical Assistance approach isn’t confined to dry PowerPoints. We emphasize experiential learning, where participants engage in role-plays, group discussions, and scenario-based problem-solving. For instance, a module on de-escalation might involve live demonstrations of how to respond calmly to someone in crisis. Afterwards, a debrief session allows participants to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how to carry those insights into daily practice. This iterative cycle of learning and feedback fosters quick adaptation and continuous improvement among staff.

Driving Organizational Growth & Employee Satisfaction

Organizations that invest in peer-informed, recovery-oriented training often see boosts in employee morale and retention. Staff members feel more empowered when they understand the ‘why’ behind certain protocols and see firsthand how peer-led strategies can transform client outcomes. In some settings, incorporating Peer Specialists has also led to more efficient use of resources, reducing hospital admissions and crisis interventions. This, in turn, frees up capacity for providers to innovate and expand services.

Moreover, the integration of these methods positions agencies as leaders in modern behavioral health care, aligning them with state and national trends that emphasize client choice, autonomy, and inclusion. Funders and accreditation bodies increasingly look for evidence of trauma-informed, peer-supported, and culturally sensitive practices, making these trainings a wise investment for long-term sustainability.

Collaboration with Local & National Partners

MHP collaborates with various stakeholders, from government agencies to academic institutions, to ensure our trainings reflect cutting-edge research and policies. We also invite guest speakers—such as experienced Peer Specialists, clinicians, or policy advocates—to share their expertise. These partnerships deepen our collective knowledge base, broaden the scope of topics we can cover, and provide participants with richer networking opportunities.

Additionally, we encourage organizations to share feedback and success stories, fueling a community of practice across Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania. By continuously evaluating outcomes, we refine our training materials to stay relevant and impactful, thus creating a ripple effect of positive change throughout the region.

Setting the Stage for Lasting Impact

Ultimately, MHP’s Training & Technical Assistance aims to transform the culture of care within behavioral health organizations. Whether it’s teaching frontline workers how to practice motivational interviewing or helping managers craft new peer-led programs, our offerings instill a spirit of collaboration, respect, and empowerment. Providers walk away with