Illinois State University will offer health professionals the chance to explore integrated care with three workshops this summer.
“Integrated health means having someone with behavioral health training who can consult with patients and their healthcare providers to improve the quality of life for the patient,” said Brenda Huber, director of the Psychological Services Center at Illinois State, which will oversee the workshops.
The workshops will cover motivating patients to make real change, understanding interventions in primary care, and stress management for patients with medical conditions.
“Doctors tell patients they need to make changes to be healthy, but change is very difficult,” said Huber. “Patients need the right support to truly make a change in behavior.”
The workshops are open to health care professionals and those interested in providing integrated behavioral care.
Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care Series
Saturday, June 3–Motivational Interviewing and Other Strategies for Health Behavior Change
Saturday, June 24–Brief Interventions for Addressing Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care
Saturday, July 15–Stress Management and Coping Skills for Patients with Medical Conditions
Workshops are from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. They are $120 each or $300 for all three. IDPR credits for psychologists, social workers, and counselors are available. ISBE credits are also available. Sign up by calling (309) 438-5629.
Participants will engage in experiential training with Illinois State graduate students enrolled in Psychology 480.36 Integrated Behavioral Health. The course is allowing students in areas such as psychology, counseling, social work, and nursing to understand the latest trends in collaborative health care.
“Every professional has some training in the areas the workshops cover, but they approach the topics with their own profession’s lens,” said Huber. “The trend in health care is inter-professional training. This is where the profession is heading, and we want our students prepared as collaborators in care.”
The workshops also explore understanding the long-term impact of trauma, and gaining a sense of cultural competency in health care. “There are health disparities that exist due to race, class, and location,” said Huber, who is also the coordinator of the Illinois School Psychology Consortium that places doctoral interns across the state. “Many people have to overcome stigmas and barriers to get access to help, and practitioners have to learn how to help break down those barriers.”
The Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care Series was originally established through a grant from Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation, and is funded in part by the Central Illinois Area Health Education Center.
