Mentoring/Succession Program Elva M Mentoring/Succession Program Elva M. Hyre, MSN, RN Administrative Director Division of Evaluation, Training & Research

To better support our mission and values . . . SCDMH devised a mentoring/succession program to better provide an effective support system which would attract and retain a caring and skilled professional workforce which highly values collaborative work, effective leadership and a coordinated effort toward those shared goals.

As mandated in our agency's mission statement . . . the SC Department of Mental Health supports the recovery of people with mental illness.

Mentoring/Succession Program Inception The first Mentoring/Succession Program for SCDMH was designed, developed and implemented in February, 2004. The program materialized as a result of a concern by the SCDMH Governing Council that, over the next 3 to 5 years, SCDMH would lose much of its senior leadership to attrition.

Mentoring/Succession Program Purpose Develop a cadre of potential leaders within SCDMH to relieve the anticipated void. Provide participants with sage advice from their mentors, focused feedback and networking resources. Enhance team building and greater loyalty to the institution.

Mentoring/Succession Program Design The program was designed using all in-house resources and remains a budget neutral endeavor for SCDMH. Class instructors are selected based on their knowledge and expertise in a given topic. Mentees are selected by their center or facility director using pre-established criteria. The mentors are either facility or center directors or their designees who have an expressed interest in the program.

Mentoring/Succession Program Design The program is strictly voluntary for all involved. There is an orientation to the program for both mentors and mentees. The program is launched by the State Director.

Mentoring/Succession Program Design The mentees attend class in Columbia for one day each month. They then work closely throughout the month to complete pre-established goals, objectives and written assignments for each. Class assignments are graded by the class instructors and written feedback is given to each mentee.

Mentoring/Succession Program Design The program is 10 months long. There is a formal graduation and those who successfully complete the program receive a certificate signed by the SCDMH State Director in acknowledgement of their achievement.

Mentoring/Succession Program Design Topics include: Human Resource Development Information Management Public Affairs Strategic Planning Internal Audit Outcomes Systems of Care Finance/Procurement Quality Improvement Risk Management Budget Planning Legal Issues Legislative Issues Cultural Competency Root Cause Analysis

Mentoring/Succession Program Program Evaluation - Mentees evaluate the in-classroom instructors monthly. - The mentee and mentor evaluate their mentoring experience monthly. - Final course evaluations are completed by both mentors and mentees. - Results of the evaluations are used to make improvements to the program.

Mentoring/Succession Program Program Results Since it start in 2004, the program has been successful in graduating one individual who is now a center director, one individual who is an assistant center director and one who was selected as a center director before he could complete the program. The third class is scheduled to graduate on December 7, 2006. The program will continue in 2007.