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