Rural Human Services
RHS 110 1 Credit
Cross-Cultural Bridging Skills
Impact of culture on communication. Emphasis on issues related
to students working in rural Alaska communities. Identification of
barriers and development of strategies for better communication. (1 + 0)
Offered As Demand Warrants
RHS 115 2 Credits
Issues of Personal Development
Dynamics and impacts of personal development issues relevant to
the delivery of rural human services focusing on understanding types,
application and processes of personal development. Facilitating personal
development through processes that integrate or reflect Native values
and principles. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected
delivery site. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 120 2 Credits
Family Systems I
Survey of historical forces that exerted influence on Alaska Native
families, the impacts of those forces and discussion of their contemporary
effects from a Native perspective. Focus on developing options and
strategies for developing healthy Native families as the foundation
for healthy Native communities. Emphasis on developing the understanding
and skills necessary to facilitate development and maintenance of healthy
families through healthy individuals. Student must spend one week in
intensive study at selected delivery site. (2 + 1) Offered
Alternate Semesters
RHS 130 2 Credits
Processes of Community Change
Contemporary foundations of rural social development and relevant
issues from a Native perspective. Developing the understanding and
skills necessary for facilitating positive individual, family, and
community development based on an ecological systems approach. Emphasis
on developing the skills necessary to identify, develop and mobilize
individual, family and community resources in rural Native communities.
Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery
site. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 140 1 Credit
Alaska Native Values and Principles
Traditional Native values and principles, their applicability to
today’s world and issues relevant to their integration into today’s
lifestyles. Developing understanding and skills necessary for facilitating
formulation of positive world views within Native individuals, families
and communities. Explores the role of spirituality in a variety of
Alaska Native cultures. Student must spend three days in intensive
study at selected delivery site. (1 + 0) Offered Alternate
Semesters
RHS 150 2 Credits
Introduction to Rural Counseling
Identification and examination of issues relevant to the delivery
of rural counseling services focusing on developing the understanding
and skills necessary for the effective delivery of rural counseling
services. Opportunities for development of basic rural counseling skills
with emphasis on integration of Native values and principles and exploring
strategies that facilitate positive individual, family, and community
growth and development through enhancement of healthy lifestyles in
rural Native communities. Student must spend one week in intensive
study at selected delivery site. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate
Semesters
RHS 220 2 Credits
Family Systems II
The dynamics and issues relevant to personal healing and recovery
from a Native perspective focusing on developing the understanding
and skills necessary to healing and recovery in Native individuals,
families and communities. Emphasis on achieving healthy lifestyles
through self-understanding based on truth, grieving and positive proactive
repositioning. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected
delivery site. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 250 2 Credits
Rural Counseling II
An examination and discussion of the differences and similarities
between Native and Western counseling skills. Identifies and examines
issues relevant to the development and delivery of basic rural counseling
skills and services. Focuses on identifying and building on individual,
family and community strengths as the foundation for development of
intervention strategies. Addresses the importance of integrating Native
traditional values and principles into intervention strategies and
service delivery. Emphasis on developing and enhancing basic rural
counseling skills and short- and long-term intervention strategies.
Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery
site. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 260 2 Credits
Addictions: Intervention and Treatment
Dynamics, issues, impacts, treatment options and intervention strategies
relevant to behavioral and chemical addictions. Understanding addictive
processes and developing treatment options and intervention strategies
from a Native perspective. Emphasis on development of treatment options
and intervention strategies that integrate Native values and principles.
Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery
site. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 265 2 Credits
Interpersonal Violence
Types, causes and impacts of interpersonal violence, focusing on
developing an understanding of interpersonal violence and development
of treatment options and intervention strategies from a Native perspective.
Emphasis on development of treatment options and intervention strategies
that integrate Native values and principles. Student must spend one
week in intensive study at selected delivery site. (2 + 1)
Offered As Demand Warrants
RHS 270 2 Credits
Networking, Negotiating and Conflict Resolution
The dynamics of networking, negotiation and conflict resolution
from a Native perspective. Focusing on Alaska Native individuals, families
and communities, identification, examination and discussion of issues
relevant to developing effective communication skills. Emphasis on
identifying and understanding issues impacting conflict resolution,
focusing on developing and strengthening networking and negotiating
skills relevant to the delivery of effective rural human service. Student
must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site. (2 + 1)
Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 275 2 Credits
Introduction to Recovery and Mental Illness
Overview of mental illness and recovery issues. Emphasis on issues
for practitioners in small, rural communities in Alaska. (Prerequisites:
RHS 150 or permission of instructor. Recommended: RHS 115 and 250.)
(2 + 1) Offered As Demand Warrants
RHS 285 2 Credits
Case Management
Identification and discussion of issues, components, procedures,
responsibilities, skills and processes for case management in rural
settings with diverse populations. Emphasis on case management processes
unique to rural and village Alaska and to the fields of mental health,
addictions and interpersonal violence. Oral and written communication
skills essential to effective case management explored. Student must
be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and
in the community. (2 + 1) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 287 4 Credits
Rural Human Services Practicum
Taken as part of the final sequence of courses in the Rural Human
Services certificate Program, practicum provides students with 100
hours of supervised learning experience in an approved rural human
service organization/agency. Provides students with opportunities for
personal and professional development, self-analysis and growth. Emphasis
on developing the understanding and skills necessary to integrate Native
healing theory and problem solving into the delivery of rural human
services. Student must be willing and able to work independently outside
the classroom and in the community. Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 288 1 Credit
Directed Study: Resource Assessment
Provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate an ability
to identify and develop local, regional and statewide resources of
benefit to their community. Focus on gathering information on resources
and creating a human services resource directory relevant to the needs
of individuals, families and communities. Emphasis on application of
multicultural communication skills. Student must be willing and able
to work independently outside the classroom and in the community. (1 + 0)
Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 289 1 Credit
Directed Study: Community Development
Provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate an ability
to develop, implement and evaluate a village-based community development
project through a supervised, professional experience. Focus on developing
positive, effective, meaningful development projects that are culturally
appropriate. Emphasis on developing a process that facilitates community
ownership and responsibility for the project. Student must be willing
and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.
(1 + 0) Offered Alternate Semesters
RHS 290 2 Credits
Grief and Healing
Exploration of the dynamics of grief and healing from an Alaska Native
perspective. Special emphasis on Native values and principles focused
on developing culturally relevant, understandings, awarenesses and professional
skills. (2 + 1) Offered As Demand Warrants