A growing trend across the country to address the health disparity and treatment gaps experienced by people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) is to have Primary Care Providers (PCPs) work inside mental health treatment settings. The goal of this online resource, called “Primary Care Providers Working in Mental Health Settings” is to inform primary care professionals working in public mental health settings about the unique aspects of behavioral health settings, the people they serve, as well as the opportunities and roles that primary care professionals play in helping to improve the whole health of individuals with serious mental illnesses. The five modules in this online curriculum are:
1) Introduction to Primary and Behavioral Healthcare Integration
2) Overview of the Behavioral Health Environment
3) Approach to the Physical Exam and Health Behavior Change
4) Psychopharmacology and Working with Psychiatric Providers
5) Roles for Primary Care Providers in the Behavioral Health Environment.
This resource is intended as an introduction to prepare primary care providers to work in specialty mental health settings by identifying specific issues that will be encountered such as stigma, social determinants of health, need for psychiatric consultation, implementing screening and treatment for substance use disorders, time management and coordinating care across multiple disciplines.
Access “Primary Care Providers Working in Mental Health Setting” at: https://pcssnow.org/education-training/training-courses/primary-care-providers-working-mental-health-setting/