NNYT TIP Model Site-Based Trainers

Establishing Site Training Capacity for Maintaining Transition Facilitator’s Competencies

NNYT Process and Protocol for Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer

Hewitt B. "Rusty" Clark, Ph.D., BCBA and Nicole Deschênes, M.Ed., RN
National Network on Youth Transition for Behavioral Health (NNYT)

Joseph Solomita, LCSW and Peter Zucker, Ph.D.
NNYT SBHG Stars Training Academy
Stars Behavioral Health Group (SBHG)

Transition to Independence Process (TIP) Model

The TIP model was developed for working with youth and young adults (14-29 years old) with emotional/behavioral difficulties (EBD) to: a) engage them in their own futures planning process; b) provide them with developmentally-appropriate, non-stigmatizing, culturally-competent, trauma-informed, and appealing services and supports; and c) involve them and their families and other informal key players in a process that prepares and facilitates them in their movement toward greater self-sufficiency and successful achievement of their goals related to relevant transition domains (i.e., employment/career, educational opportunities, living situation, personal effectiveness/wellbeing, and community-life functioning). The TIP system is operationalized through seven guidelines and their associated practices that drive the work with young people and provide the framework for the program and community system to support these functions. The TIP model is an evidence-supported practice based on six published studies that demonstrate improvement in real-life outcomes for youth and young adults with EBD.

Mission of National Network on Youth Transition for Behavioral Health (NNYT)

The mission of the National Network on Youth Transition for Behavioral Health (NNYT) is to improve the progress and outcomes of youth and young adults (14-29 years of age) with emotional/behavioral difficulties (EBD) and the responsiveness of transition systems to their families.

This mission is accomplished by:

• NNYT embracing the ideas, cultures, passions, and voices of youth and young adults as it partners with them in the development and evaluation of improved service systems for them and their families.
• NNYT conducting program implementation, system development, research, and dissemination in collaboration with provider agencies, community collaboratives, states, and national/federal entities.

Operationally NNYT serves the following major functions:

• Implementation of the Transition to Independence Process (TIP) model which is an evidence-supported practice for youth and young adults with EBD.
  • Under the guidance of NNYT leadership, the Stars Behavioral Health Group (SBHG) Stars Training Academy serves as the official NNYT Purveyor to assist agencies and communities in the implementation of the TIP model for improving the outcomes of youth and young adults.
• The NNYT Certification Board oversees the certification of NNYT TIP Model Consultants, TIP Model Sites, and NNYT TIP Model Site-Based Trainers.
• NNYT Certified TIP Model Consultants are also assisting communities, states, and national/federal entities regarding policy and system reforms that enable agencies and community collaboratives to implement effective transition programs.
• Several of the NNYT Faculty and Consultants are involved in research, evaluation, and continuing quality improvement efforts related to transition to adulthood issues. NNYT has an extensive array of Fidelity and Continuing Quality Improvement tools that it makes available to its sites to support implementation and sustainability of effective transition systems.

The home-base for NNYT is with Hewitt B. “Rusty” Clark in Tampa Florida and at the Stars Behavioral Health Group (SBHG) in Long Beach California.

NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer

Site Trainer for Sustaining the Practice

NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer serves as a trainer for Transition Facilitators and other transition-related personnel on the TIP model at a site or sites associated with an agency or collaborative of community agencies that are adopting, maintaining, or being oriented to the TIP Model. The goal is to establish Site-Based Trainers to be able to conduct training on the TIP model principles and practices to sustain a TIP model initiative with the site agency(ies), and to present TIP Model Orientation Workshops with associated partner organizations. Full implementation of the TIP model at new sites (agencies) requires periodic pairing of the Site-Based Trainer with a NNYT Certified TIP Model Consultant who, in addition to the “training” competencies, has extensive expertise and experience in implementation strategies at the practice, program, and systems levels.

Selection of Candidates. Candidates seeking to become Site-Based Trainers are jointly selected by the agency and the NNYT Consultant serving the site for TIP model implementation. The fact that an individual is interested in, and/or is selected to be mentored, does not guarantee that this Candidate will become a NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer. Overtime, the lead NNYT Consultant will monitor competency development of the Candidate – both with respect to the TIP model and functioning as an effective trainer. The Candidate is generally supervised by a manager at a transition agency or collaborative site (or by a manager at the state level, in the case of a state-wide initiative). If the Candidate is co-supervised by a local agency manager and also by a regional/state manager for the TIP model training activities, then both supervisors should be involved and named. Although supervision is site-based, the Candidate and his/her supervisor(s) need to be attentive to guidance, feedback, and recommendations from the NNYT Consultant and the Chair of the NNYT Certification Board.

Individuals selected as Candidates to pursue Site-Based Trainer certification are to be 18 years or older and have had extensive experience in working with youth, young adults, and/or families with multi-system needs and challenges. Preference in selecting individuals as Candidates will also include having graduate degrees in fields relevant to mental health, behavioral sciences, applied behavior analysis, and/or social services. However, a graduate degree does not necessarily translate into one being “professionally responsive”, competent in the TIP model, or proficient as a “trainer.”

Young Adult Peer. A young adult peer who is 18 years or over may be considered as a Candidate for becoming a Site-Based Associate Trainer at a site where he/she will be paired with one or more Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainers. This also assumes that all of the above criteria are met except for the preference for graduate training and “extensive” years of work experience. A young adult will only be considered if the primary NNYT Consultant to the site and the site supervisor (and if available a Site-Based Trainer or Site-Based Apprentice) advocate for this young adult – stating in writing the reasons why this young person should be considered as a Candidate for Site-Based Associate Trainer. Please understand that the NNYT Certification Board will only approve a young adult for pursuing Site-Based Associate Trainer status who is committed to achieving adequate proficiencies. There are challenges and liability issues that TIP model implementation presents that take years of experience and education to address appropriately. Nevertheless, the Board will value having a young adult peer serving as Site-Based Associate Trainer at a TIP model site where he/she is paired with a Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer.

Certification Process

The process to become a NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer is a sequential process through which a selected professional is coached by a NNYT Certified TIP Model Consultant to ensure that the Candidate has demonstrated the content knowledge, training and consulting expertise, and related proficiencies essential to training personnel at sites in the TIP model guidelines and associated practices.

• The coaching by the NNYT Consultant is accomplished primarily by having the Consultant demonstrating training sessions for the Candidate to observe, and then over time, having the Candidate assuming more and more leadership in conducting training sessions and events on his/her own.
• The coaching process requires that the Candidate assume an active role in learning all of the TIP model curricula and being responsive to the positive and corrective feedback provided by the Consultant.
• Although most of this mentoring is done at training and technical assistance events at community sites, some of the mentoring may also be conducted by other means such as:
  • Teleconference monitoring or video monitoring of the Candidate’s work with site personnel.
  • The Consultant also uses other sources of information to review the impact of the Candidate’s efforts (e.g., review of participant evaluation feedback forms; monitoring of the application of a Case-Based Review process).
  • Some additional sources of mentoring and continuing education with a Candidate can come from:
    • Participation in periodic NNYT Theme Webinars for TIP Model Consultants and Site-Based Trainers; and
    • Attending a NNYT SBHG TIP Model Consultant / Site-Based Trainer Forum (i.e., A 2-3 day work session that is typically held in Long Beach CA for Site-Based Young Adult Associate Trainers, Site-Based Apprentices, Certified Site-Based Trainers (including individuals being mentored for possible certification in one of the previously mentioned roles), and NNYT Consultants to share their knowledge and experience in TIP model training and implementation efforts – and to build their training and implementation competencies in working at the agency and system levels).

Qualifications: To qualify to become a NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer, a Candidate must:

• Show commitment to the TIP model and improving outcomes for youth and young adults with EBD.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge and expertise related to the TIP model.
• Interact with professionalism and effective communications and show an interest in learning new empirically-based approaches.
  • Demonstrate professionalism (e.g., willingness to give honest feedback, accept and use corrective feedback to improve his/her skills).
  • Willingness to learn and use effective teaching strategies for conducting training of transition-related personnel.
  • Responsive to being mentored in conducting training and technical assistance at transition sites by one or more designated NNYT Consultants.
  • Demonstrate a dynamic and responsive presentation style with individual personnel and with small and large groups.
  • Interact with a diversity of stakeholders in ways that are respectful, diplomatic, and yet honest in representing the TIP model principles and practices.
• Demonstrated the competencies needed for working effectively with transition program personnel to train and coach them in the application of the TIP model guidelines and associated practices.
  • Refer to the attached Proficiencies in Training and Coaching of Transition Personnel.
• Preference will be given to Candidates with graduate degrees or professional certificates in relevant social science fields.
• Follow the steps listed below.

Steps in Being Considered for NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer Status

Step 1
Send a letter describing your interest in being mentored to become a NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer. Please refer to Appendix STEP 1 “sample letter” that you will need to modify and complete, in conjunction with your supervisor(s), to be considered. Note that this letter must address ALL of the NNYT provisions that are listed within the sample letter.

Step 2
If accepted for mentoring as a TIP Model Site-Based Trainer Apprentice, then you and your supervisor(s) can collaborate with the NNYT Consultant who is working with your Transition Site to develop a plan for assessing and further developing of your proficiencies for possible certification over, typically, a 12 to 30 month period, with the typical time period involving 18 months.

Step 3
When you, your primary NNYT Consultant, and your supervisor(s) agree that you’ve met the provisions for applying to be considered as a NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer, you may make application to the NNYT Certification Board. Please refer to Appendix STEP 3. Note that this STEP 3A letter must address ALL of the NNYT provisions that are listed within the sample letter.

After a review of the Apprentice’s application materials, the NNYT Certification Board will determine: 1. if more information is needed; or 2. if the Apprentice’s application is: a) approved, b) denied, or c) that the Apprentice’s application indicates that more mentoring is needed in specific areas prior to approval being granted.

When the Apprentice has been approved by the NNYT Certification Board, NNYT Leadership will issue a certificate to the Apprentice acknowledging the status of NNYT Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer and the designated site (e.g., agency, collaborative of agencies, or geographic area) for which this Site-Based Trainer is authorized to work.

Step 4
Submit your Certified TIP Model Site-Based Trainer renewal application to the NNYT Certification Board on an annual basis to maintain your certification and authorization to serve in this capacity. Please refer to Appendix STEP 4.

NOTE: The NNYT Certification Board may have to occasionally revise or update the provisions of the certification process based on new information it has learned related to ensuring effective implementation of the TIP model. Such changes will become effective immediately, but will not affect the current 1-year term of a Site-Based Associate, Apprentice, or Trainer.

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