BRIDGES TO MENTAL HEALTH: WORKFORCE EXPANSION PROJECT
Location: Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Omaha
The seminar takes place over two days through a series of engaging and interactive presentations. Attendees earn 13 CME. The sessions and CME are free thanks to Clarkson Regional Health Services and generous ongoing support from the Hawks Foundation and others. Upon registering, you will receive more information including a session agenda. CME claim instructions will be sent after the conclusion of the training. Please note the timeframes for the two days: April 14 Training: 8 AM-3:30 PM Cohort reception: 3:30-5 PM April 15 Training: 8 AM-4:30 PM
About this workshop:
Mental illness directly affects 1 in 5 Nebraskans and Iowans. Against this backdrop, there is a substantial shortage of mental health providers in our region, particularly within our rural communities. As such, primary care and non-psychiatric specialists provide the majority of medical therapy for psychiatric issues.
However, providers oftentimes don’t have the training, confidence, and/or resources to adequately identify, diagnose, and/or treat these issues. Add to that—little time: Patients in Omaha alone have seen wait times extend to 8–12 weeks to be seen by a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Dr. John Mitchell and Dr. Bill Lydiatt, with generous ongoing support from the Hawks Foundation and others, began a project to expand the mental health workforce in Nebraska through a program called Bridges to Mental Health. Clarkson Regional Health Services has formalized and amplified this pioneering initiative.
The Bridges to Mental Health Workforce Expansion Project trains primary care, specialty physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and mental health workers to:
• Improve diagnostic and therapeutic skills
• Strengthen confidence to expand care
• Heighten awareness of common psychiatric disorders
Believed to be the first of its kind nationally, this workforce training helps mitigate the access crisis by initiating early mental health treatment in areas where patients and the public already come for care.
There have been six sessions so far, reaching more than 340 healthcare practitioners from across Nebraska and Western Iowa. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the demand for expanded training.