Primary Care Behavioral Health

Curriculum

Workshop 1: Primary Care Culture, Behavioral Health Needs and Working with Physicians 

Faculty: Alexander Blount, EdD, Hugh Silk, MD (Fall) and Ron Adler, MD (Spring)

As a service to the integration of participants into a primary care practice, every paid participant may bring one primary care physician from their practice (or perspective practice) to Workshop I (only), the orientation to behavioral health in primary care, at no charge. In this way, the program is a preparation of clinicians and an intervention in organizational readiness at the same time. The last four hours of Workshop I are specifically targeted at physicians’ experience, though they are welcome for the whole day. All physicians in attendance will be asked to fill out a registration form and to agree to do an evaluation form.

Culture and Language of Primary Medical Care (2 hours)

  • Primary care’s role in health system
  • Primary care vs. specialty medical care
  • Content and sequence of the basic medical interview
  • Recommended preventative care expected of primary care physicians
  • Role play primary care interview with associated decision-making

Goal: Feel comfortable and oriented in a primary care setting.

Behavioral Health Needs in Primary Care (1 hour)

  • Mental health and substance abuse rates
  • Behavioral health needs
  • Chronic illness mental and behavioral health needs
  • “Ambiguous” illnesses
  • Cultural impact on illness presentations
  • A typical morning in practice
  • Example of common “complex” cases

Goal: Conceptualizes how a behavioral health professional can help in a wide variety of primary care cases.

Consulting with MDs (3 hours)

  • Common physician perceptions of role of a BHP
  • Ways of impacting those perceptions
  • How physicians want to be approached
  • Determining what input from BHP is useful to the PCP
  • Terms for types of collaborative care
  • Co-located patterns of care
  • Integrated patterns of care
  • Practice dual interview
  • Practice talking in front of the patient for a hand off

Goals: Effectively uses the curb-side consultation model to communicate with a physician. Can speak sensitively and with clarity about a patient’s situation with a physician in front of the patient.