Rural Human Services (RHS)

College of Indigenous Studies
Department of Social and Human Development
907-474-7143

RHS F110      Cross-cultural Bridging Skills
1 Credit

Offered As Demand Warrants

Issues and impacts relevant to effective cross-cultural communication. Understanding barriers to effective cross-cultural communication in rural settings and development of effective cross-cultural communication skills from an Indigenous perspective. Development of bridging and networking skills that integrate Indigenous values and principles. Course taught on site/ intensive. Enrollment in RHS program required.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 1 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F115      Issues of Personal Development
2 Credits

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.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F120      Family Systems I
2 Credits

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.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F130      Processes of Community Change
2 Credits

Rural social development contemporary foundations and relevant issues from a Native perspective. Developing understanding and skills necessary for facilitating positive individual, family and community development from an ecological systems approach. Emphasis on developing the skills necessary to identify, develop and mobilize individual, family and community resources in rural Native communities.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F140      Alaska Native Values and Principles
1 Credit

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.

Special Notes: Student must spend three days in intensive study at selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 1 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F150      Introduction to Rural Counseling
2 Credits

Identification and examination of issues relevant to delivery of rural counseling services. Opportunities for development of basic rural counseling skills with emphasis on integration of Native values and principles, exploring strategies that facilitate positive individual, family and community growth and development through enhancement of healthy lifestyles in rural Native communities.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F220      Family Systems II
2 Credits

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.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F250      Rural Counseling II
2 Credits

Differences and similarities between Native and Western counseling skills. 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.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F260      Addictions: Intervention and Treatment
2 Credits

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 the development of treatment options and intervention strategies that integrate Native values and principles.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F265      Interpersonal Violence
2 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

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 the development of treatment options and intervention strategies that integrate Native values and principles.

Special Notes: Students must spend one week in intensive study at the selected delivery site.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F275      Introduction to Recovery and Mental Illness
2 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

Overview of mental illness and recovery issues. Emphasis on issues for practitioners in small, rural communities in Alaska.

Prerequisites: RHS F150.

Recommended: RHS F250, RHS F115.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F285      Case Management
2 Credits

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. Explore essential case management oral/written communication skills.

Special Notes: Students must be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F287      Rural Human Services Practicum
4 Credits

Offered Fall

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. 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.

Special Notes: Students must be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 1.5 + 0 + 7.5

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

RHS F290      Grief and Healing
2 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

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.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus