Social Services Children Developmental Disability

Mental Health Behavioral Aides (MHBAs)

What?
MHBAs are mental health practitioners supervised and employed by an agency certified to provide Childrens Therapeutic Support Services (CTSS). MHBAs provide services that are medically necessary to improve the functioning of a child by using developmentally appropriate social skills training. MHBAs work directly with the children, families, and peers to practice these skills. A MHBA can help your child and family in many ways, including: 1. Providing cues or prompts in skill building interactions 2. Role playing peer interactions 3. Generalizing skill building across home and community environments 4. Intervening when necessary to redirect target behaviors 5. Interacting with the child and family to assist in building strategies for addressing areas of concern.

You have to pay attention, think ahead and plan out what you want to do. This, from my incredibly impulsive, off task son who had been working with a MHBA for three months. His MHBA was able to teach him to focus in a way that I was never able to. Thank you! -Courtney, parent

Who?
Children with developmental disabilities or mental health problems that are considered to be in need of MHBA services as determined by a mental health professional. The need for a MHBA is usually identified in the Individual Treatment Plan. This plan also outlines the scope of the work the MHBA will perform with the family.

How?
Services provided by a MHBA need to first be identified in an Individual Behavior Plan (IBP), which is developed by a mental health professional.

Where?
Visit the MOFAS website. Look at the MN Department of Human Services manual.