Training: Information & Links

Elearning

The National Council, in partnership with Essential Learning, offers customized courses and learning management systems on healthcare, behavioral health, and corporate compliance for community behavioral health centers and community health centers. Courses meet Joint Commission standards and offer continuing education for nurses and clinical staff.  

Certificate Program

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, offers a Certificate Program in Primary Care Behavioral Health for licensed mental health professionals who want to learn to work as primary care behavioral health providers. Schedules for fall and spring 2009-2010 are now available. 

National Council Conference 2009

The 39th National Council Conference in San Antonio, Texas, April 6–8, 2009 included a robust Health Promotion track, featuring best practices from provider organizations and experts on primary care and behavioral health integration issues as well as prevention, wellness, and early intervention. Review the session handouts — look for the following topics (under Workshop Name):

• Mental Health First Aid Instructor Certification  
• National Council’s Behavioral Health and Primary Care Boot Camp
• Depression Management in Community Behavioral Health: Could It Improve Outcomes?  
• Healthcare Homes: The Building Blocks of Healthcare Reform   
• When Behavioral Health and Primary Care Cultures Don’t Align  
• Can We Prevent Schizophrenia? 
• Disease Management for Serious Mental Illness: Team Solutions  
• Helping Staff and Consumers Quit Smoking 

  

Webinars

• Chronic Medical Conditions in People with Serious Mental Illness
• Tools for Consumer Health and Wellness
• Smoking Cessation (coming in June 2009)

Books

Raising the Bar: Moving Toward Integration of Healthcare
Published by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and authored by Donna Sabourin, MA, LLP and Kathleen Reynolds, LMSW, ACSW.

The classic guide to primary care and behavioral health integration, this book offers an inside look at Washtenaw Community Health Organization’s journey in integrating behavioral health and primary care services in Washtenaw County, Michigan. This collaborative effort harnessed support from many different stakeholders to create successful services that offer better care for consumers in this community.

This publication serves as a guide for your integration efforts. It presents an overview of research that supports the case for primary care and behavioral health integration, the financial implications of undertaking this type of project, and how to overcome identified barriers. Appendices provide survey samples, work plan tools, and model agreements to help you launch a similar initiative in your community.

Order now from the National Council Store.