This 41-hour, 15-week hybrid certification training program equips trainees with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed for effective crisis response in their communities.
The curriculum was developed by the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability in partnership with the NH Department of Health and Human Services, Division for Behavioral Health, to align with SAMHSA’s National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit, embedding the toolkit’s Core Principles of Behavioral Health Crisis Care (SAMHSA, 2020) throughout each module. Course competencies are based on SAMHSA-HRSA’s Core Competencies for Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care (Hoge et al., 2014). Competencies have been adapted to center the crisis responder context.
Overview
The 15-week NH Rapid Response Crisis Training (NH RRCT) curriculum consists of three primary components:
- Asynchronous coursework (pre-recorded lectures, reading assignments, other short informational videos, and discussion board assignments)
- In-person seminars (two hours each, approximately every four weeks) location TBA
- On-the-job mentoring (15 hours total, one hour per 15 course modules)
As a pre-requisite, all trainees will have already completed the asynchronous 1-hour pre-enrollment module. Trainees not currently employed on a Rapid Response team will have also completed the 2.5-hour pre-employment module.
Upon completion of the program, trainees will earn two digital badges (Level I: Practicing Crisis Responder and Level II: Certified Crisis Responder) and a certificate of completion issued by the University of New Hampshire. The NH Crisis Responder Certification is specific to the role of the crisis responder, offering a credential issued by the University of New Hampshire, where none previously existed.
Total Training Hours
Asynchronous (weekly modules, done by 11:59pm each Sunday)... 31
Synchronous/ Live, In-Person (In-Person Seminars)... 10
Total Didactic Training Hours... 41
Synchronous/ Live, In-Person (On-the-Job Mentoring)... 15
Total Practice-Based Training Hours... 56
Program Incentives
A small monetary consultation fee will be given to the first 200 trainees and assigned on-the-job mentors based on successful completion of the NH Rapid Response Crisis Training during the August 2024 – June 2025 period.
