WV Psychiatric Association offers integrated workshop

Psychiatrists and Primary Care Physicians are in a unique position to help shape mental health care delivery in the current rapidly evolving healthcare reform landscape using integrated care approaches, in which mental health is delivered in primary care settings. In this model of care, a team of providers, including the patient’s primary care provider, a care manager and a psychiatric consultant, work together to provide evidence-based mental health care.

The West Virginia Psychiatric Association is offering a workshop, "Applying the Collaborative Care Approach" Wednesday August, 14 from 12:30–4:50 p.m. in the Health Sciences Hostler Auditorium.

This workshop provides participants with the practical skills needed to work in collaborative care. The course describes the delivery of mental health care in primary care settings with a focus on the evidence–base, guiding principles and an introduction to implementation strategies. 

Workshop objectives include:

• Make the case for integrated behavioral health services in primary care, including the evidence for collaborative care 
• Discuss principles of integrated behavioral health care
• Describe the roles in an integrated care team
• Apply a primary care-oriented approach to psychiatric consultation for common behavioral health presentations 

As a Support and Alignment Network (SAN) in the CMS Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPi), APA is collaborating with the AIMS Center at the University of Washington to train 3,500 psychiatrists over 4 years in the clinical and leadership skills needed to support primary care practices that are implementing integrated behavioral health programs. This training is supported as part of the TCPi.

Space is limited. The deadline for registrations in August 7. Registration can be completed online at https://apasan.wufoo.com/forms/zudqfri0hqwhp4/. For more information, contact bholt@osteo.wvsom.edu or abshepard@hsc.wvu.edu.