A series of monthly calls for ACT psychiatric care providers. Offered in collaboration with the Institute for Best Practices at the University of North Carolina.

ABOUT THIS EVENT

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a multidisciplinary, team-based model that provides intensive community-based and outreach-oriented services to people who experience the most severe and persistent mental illness. The vast majority also have a co-occurring substance use disorder and many experience comorbid medical illnesses.

The Northwest MHTTC is hosting a series for ACT psychiatric care providers. We welcome all ACT psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and other prescribers. Sessions will be held once a month on Thursdays at 12:00-1:30 pm Pacific/3:00-4:30 pm Eastern.

Learn more about the series and upcoming sessions here.

This presentation will identify cardiovascular risk factors for individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and describe potential areas of prevention and intervention, with an emphasis on practical tips for ACT Providers.

• Learning Objectives
  • Name factors that contribute to increased rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in persons with SMI.
  • Apply principles of motivational interviewing to promote behaviors that impact cardiovascular health.
  • Diagnose obesity, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia.
  • Increase familiarity and comfort with prescribing medication for cardiovascular risk-associated conditions.

FACILITATOR

Martha Ward, MD,

Dr. Martha Ward is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Ward’s clinical work is focused on improving medical and psychiatric outcomes of individuals with serious mental illness through integrated care. Dr. Ward is the Medical Director of Park Place Primary Care, a collaborative primary care clinic located in the Behavioral Health Outpatient center at Grady Memorial Hospital. In this clinic, she serves the complex medical and psychiatric needs of patients that previously had no continuity of medical care and provides a unique training opportunity for students and residents. Additionally, Dr. Ward is passionate about medical education. She serves as Small Group Advisor and Society Mentor for medical students at Emory SOM and acts as Associate Program Director for the Combined Internal-Medicine Psychiatry Residency at Emory and Co-Director of the Global and Population Mental Health Track for the categorical Psychiatry Residency.