Why Every Behavioral Health Organization Should Develop a Culture of Learning

The need for healthcare workers of all types and clinical backgrounds to be well versed in behavioral health evidence-based practices, knowledge, and clinical competencies is expanding dramatically in our new environment. As demand increases and the number of trained clinicians decreases, more care will be delivered in an integrated care setting and/or in a hybrid virtual/live setting.

With millions of people experiencing heightened feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression during the pandemic, behavioral health organizations, care providers, payers, and employers are collectively focused on improving mental health interventions through data- and technology-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or trauma-informed care.

Providers of all disciplines are enhancing their clinical knowledge of different behavioral health diagnoses and effective interventions to treat patients’ symptoms.

Behavioral health and substance use disorder organizations are under more pressure than ever to address gaps in clinical knowledge and keep up with the latest advances in treatment and types of digital solutions.

The best way for behavioral health organizations to keep pace with knowledge advancements and make the most effective point-of -care clinical decisions is to develop a culture of learning.

Culture of Learning Benefits

A learning-based culture manifests itself in obvious ways:

• The staff are continuously growing and enhancing their skills.
• Staff members apply their accumulated knowledge to their practice.
• Staff are empowered to communicate with each other and others about assumptions and biases. In other words, the organization has its proverbial “eyes open” and recognizes, for example, if methods of delivering treatment are not effective for certain populations or individuals, and then does something about it.
• All staff understand how their actions influence and impact others. It’s critical for clinicians and nurses to understand that their clinical decision-making has repercussions throughout the organization.
• Everyone in the organization feels like the work they are doing is positively impacting patients, themselves, and the world around them.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a culture of learning that can help organizations adapt to change. Those who had adopted a learning culture were able to pivot more quickly to adopt telehealth technologies and maintain effective levels of care for patients. Knowledge-sharing, creative problem-solving, and an environment that encourages questioning are deeply embedded into the culture.

One of the best authorities on the benefits of a culture of learning is Peter Senge, a systems scientist who wrote The Fifth Discipline. The concepts described in Senge’s work are relevant and applicable today as we reinvent our behavioral healthcare delivery system.

Applying Systems Thinking to Running Your Organization

Here are 4 ways that behavioral health organizations can apply systems thinking and foster a learning culture:

• Think more holistically about solving challenges. A key part of systems thinking is engaging all parts of an organization in finding solutions to different challenges. A notable example of systems thinking in behavioral health is our awareness of the importance of integrated care– specifically treating comorbid conditions that exist alongside mental health struggles within the same system of care or even same provider.
• Allow innovation to happen organically. If staff are micromanaged through the process of finding solutions to problems, they may be less motivated. Team members should be allowed to identify solutions independently, as it allows them to enhance their commitment. For example, a behavioral health organization may suddenly encounter a significant increase in staff turnover. With the help of knowledge assessments, that organization could learn that employees aren’t being hired for the right positions based on their skills. By allowing the organization’s talent development and HR teams—those with the most knowledge and expertise—to optimize their hiring and onboarding processes, that organization is more likely to achieve better staff retention.
• Maximize the organization’s strengths. Especially during a time of significant staff burnout and turnover, behavioral health organizations should know the capabilities of each individual staff member and try to use those strengths, even if they fall outside of their job descriptions. This means performing assessments to identify knowledge and skills strengths and weaknesses. You may be surprised by the results of these assessments; for example, they may allow you to identify which junior staff are exemplifying good leadership qualities and decide to put them in roles in which they can reach their full potential as a leader.
• Ensure that learning is being put into practice. A culture of learning doesn’t happen if staff are not applying their knowledge in their jobs. For example, a behavioral health organization in a community with changing demographics should have effective cultural competence training for its staff to ensure that they are delivering care without cultural biases and stereotypes. By assessing the cultural competence skills of staff and analyzing health outcomes data of different ethnic and racial groups, behavioral health organizations can determine whether they are delivering culturally competent care that mitigates any disparities or barriers to care.

People who choose behavioral health as a career path want to care for patients to the best of their ability and make a real difference in improving quality of life. Establishing and nurturing a learning-based culture allows an individual to learn and grow, and to work cohesively with others, creating a well-oiled machine. The end results: happier and more effective staff, a sustainable organization, and better outcomes and more hope for patients.

Dr. Vicki Ittel, PhD, MBA, is director of strategic business solutions at Relias.

The views expressed in Perspectives are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Behavioral Healthcare Executive, the Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Learning Network, or other Network authors. Perspectives entries are not medical advice.