Capacity, commitment, and culture: The 3 Cs of staff development in a learning organization.

TOPIC: If an agency desires changes in practice and a consistent approach to services, psychiatric rehabilitation staff development requires more than a single session of training.

PURPOSE: This column describes one agency's approach to a comprehensive staff training and development program, designed to enhance the 3 Cs of capacity, commitment, and culture.

SOURCES USED: The program described has been in place, with frequent adjustments, for over 20 years, and the experiences of the authors and their colleagues form the primary source for the paper.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Staff development requires an ongoing investment--competency-based training, supervision congruent with the service vision and mission, accountability through performance evaluation, and opportunities for growth. We have a firm belief that our employees learn to treat others, in part, from how they are treated by our agency leadership.