Products and Resources Catalog

Read our latest Northwest MHTTC newsletter! Our December newsletter is short and sweet, reflecting back on the year, and ahead to 2020. Find out about our recent in-person Advisory Board meeting in Seattle, where members from our 4-state region joined for lively discussion about collaborating to reach our mutual goals.  Best wishes to all in the holiday season!

Patients with serious mental illness (SMI) experience inequities in cancer care that contribute to increased cancer mortality. Co-morbid mental illness is also associated with increased healthcare utilization and costs compared to other patients with cancer. Pro-active psychiatry consultation and person-centered, team-based care are promising approaches that may increase access to cancer care. We will discuss how we adapted the collaborative care model to address the needs of patients with SMI and cancer and share best practices and case examples.   Presented by Dr. Kelly Irwin Dr. Irwin is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a faculty psychiatrist at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center and MGH Schizophrenia Program. Dr. Irwin is the Director of the Collaborative Care and Community Engagement Program, a research and clinical program focused on improving cancer outcomes for people with severe mental illness. She also co-founded Engage -- a community network that engaged diverse voices to promote equity in cancer care and research for people with mental illness and regularly collaborates with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. Dr. Irwin has an MD from Harvard Medical School and an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean in 2012 and is currently leading a randomized controlled trial funded by the National Cancer Institute that is investigating the impact of proactive psychiatry consultation and case management on cancer care for people with serious mental illness.    

In this Brief Behavioral Skills module Drs. Kari Stephens and Patrick Raue provide an overview of Cognitive Therapy for Anxiety (CBT-A). Anxiety is the most treatable and common mental health condition we know of today. Treatments are highly effective and well-studied over many decades. These treatments are also shown to work with complex patients in primary care. However, treating anxiety can require patients to expose themselves to situations that are difficult. This module will walk clinicians through how to approach treating anxiety in a primary care setting. The learning objectives for this module are to:   Understand the CBT model of anxiety symptoms Describe how to give the ‘treatment pitch’ to patients, and discuss the difference between treatment with exposure vs. anxiety management strategies Understand how to develop and work on an exposure hierarchy with patients Describe anxiety management strategies that use physical and cognitive approaches   Presenters: Kari Stephens, PhD Clinical Psychologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine, a UW Associate Professor of Family Medicine; an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education.   Patrick Raue, PhD Clinical Psychologist at UWMC-Roosevelt, Associate Director for the University of Washington Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions; Director of the National Network of Problem Solving Treatment Clinicians; Trainers, & Researchers and a UW Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population Health.   Find related Resources here.  

In this Brief Behavioral Skills module Drs. Kari Stephens and Patrick Raue provide an overview of Behavioral Activation, an evidence-based treatment for depressive symptoms. Behavioral Activation is a structured and brief approach to treatment that targets patterns of avoidance, withdrawal, and inactivity that are common among those with depressive symptoms. The learning objectives for this module are to:    Understand the Behavioral Activation model of depressive symptoms Describe how to develop a case formulation for a patient experiencing elevated depressive symptoms Understand the role of avoidance in maintaining depressive symptoms Describe how to help patients select activities and make a specific plan Understand how to evaluate the outcome of patients’ efforts and problem-solve barriers to action planning   Presenters: Kari Stephens, PhD Clinical Psychologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine, a UW Associate Professor of Family Medicine; an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education. Patrick Raue, PhD Clinical Psychologist at UWMC-Roosevelt, Associate Director for the University of Washington Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions; Director of the National Network of Problem Solving Treatment Clinicians; Trainers, & Researchers and a UW Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population Health. See related resources here.  

In this Brief Behavioral Skills module Drs. Kari Stephens and Patrick Raue provide an overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Distress Tolerance Skills, an evidence-based approach that teaches patients skills to help them tolerate distressing thoughts and emotions. Distress Tolerance (DT) skills are appropriate for patients who are experiencing crisis, especially those who are experiencing a serious problem that cannot be solved in the moment. The learning objectives for this module are to help clinicians:   Determine when to use DBT’s Distress Tolerance (DT) skills with your patients List the DT skills Integrated use of DT skills in the practice setting   Presenters: Kari Stephens, PhD Clinical Psychologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine, a UW Associate Professor of Family Medicine; an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education.   Patrick Raue, PhD Clinical Psychologist at UWMC-Roosevelt, Associate Director for the University of Washington Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions; Director of the National Network of Problem Solving Treatment Clinicians; Trainers, & Researchers and a UW Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population Health.   Find related Resources here.  

Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Illness November 21, 2019 This webinar provided an overview of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and discussed some of the most prevalent IDDs, their associated behavioral challenges, and mental health concerns. It also provided information on how to distinguish between behaviors associated with IDD and co-occurring mental illness, helpful interventions, and how to increase provider comfort in working with people with IDD. Slide deck Recording

This flyer provides an overview of Mid-America MHTTC services in the field of integrated behavioral health and primary care.

Find our 2nd published newsletter here, acknowledging the completion of our inaugural year. This newsletter issue focuses on Integrative Care. "In the US, a person living with schizophrenia has a life expectancy that is, on average, 28 years shorter than that of the general US population.1 The Northwest MHTTC is committed to addressing this health disparity through training, implementation, and workforce activities that target the leading causes of this premature mortality. During our inaugural year, we partnered with regional stakeholders on activities to target two leading causes of death, cardiovascular disease and suicide (read in our newsletter). As we begin our second year, we have a variety of activities planned which further our mission and our vision of a future in which people who experience psychosis have the same life expectancy as their peers."  Lydia Chwastiak MD. MPH, Co-Director, Northwest MHTTC 1 Olfson M, Gerhard T, Huang C, Crystal S, Stroup TS. Premature Mortality Among Adults With Schizophrenia in the United States. JAMA psychiatry. 2015;72(12):1172-1181.  

August 28, 2019 Dr. Jay Shore, M.D., M.P.H., hosted this webinar to review best practices in using videoconferencing platforms to deliver telemental health services to individuals. This session provided an overview of the guidelines developed to support the implementation of telemental health services. American Psychiatric Association and American Telemedicine Association best practice guidelines are reviewed in detail. This training session concludes with a review of best practices and skills to use when performing a telemental health visit.  Slide deck Recording   Learning Objectives Be familiar with the recent APA and ATA best practices in telemental health. Understand how to incorporate best practices in telemental health when working with patients.  

Rural Mental Health Disparities and Workforce Implications April 25, 2019 This webinar was part one in a series addressing rural mental health. As the first in the series, this webinar provided a basic introduction to rural mental health. Presenters discusses the definition of rural, rural demographics, and data on rural mental health and mental health disparities. Speakers also presented rural issues of access, acceptability, and availability of rural mental healthcare services. Several resources will be shared for participants to find additional data, policy briefs, funding opportunities, best practices, and toolkits specifically addressing rural mental health. Slide deck Recording  

We invite you to join us for this webinar, which provides foundational knowledge on what are the social determinants of health, why they should be assessed, and how mental health service providers can leverage them for better outcomes. Hear how providers throughout the Pacific Southwest region are addressing the social determinants of health through broad initiatives, service assessments, and strategic partnerships. Journey with us as you gain an understanding of how to identify appropriate partners and collaborate with them on the shared interest of achieving mental health equity. There are many tools and resources highlighted to support your local efforts, as well as ample opportunity to ask questions. Participants: Recognize the connection between the social determinants of health and improved mental health outcomes. Access tools and resources to support appropriate assessment. Explore strategic thinking for community mental health partnerships. Learn what kinds of questions and data will lead them to these partnerships, and how to evaluate the opportunities that exist within them. Establish a framework for incorporating the social determinants of health into their everyday practice.  

The Psychiatrist’s Guide to Population Management of Diabetes is a 3-hour, self-paced course designed for psychiatric prescribers who treat patients with serious mental illness, hosted on the HealtheKnowledge platform. The course aims to increase prescriber knowledge of and confidence in the identification and management of diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors. Based on a Population Management approach, this course provides strategies to identify care gaps and stratify risks related to diabetes in a population with serious mental illness; address prevention of diabetes through strategies to support health behavior change that are feasible in specialty mental health settings; and describe treatment options for Type 2 diabetes, including goals of diabetes care for patients with serious mental illness. This course is presented in three modules by: Lydia Chwastiak MD, MPH, a psychiatrist and internal medicine physician and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Chwastiak is also co-director of the Northwest MHTTC. Martha Ward MD, a psychiatrist and internal medicine physician, and Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. Alyson Myers MD, a psychiatrist and endocrinologist and Associate Professor at the David and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine. Dr. Myers is also the Medical Director of the Inpatient Diabetes Unit at North Shore University Hospital.   Registration and Technical Support How to register for a course at HealtheKnowledge and how to get technical support   This online course was created by the Northwest Region 10 Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

Northwest MHTTC's Training Director, Sarah Kopelovich, PhD, presented a didactic to the UW Psychiatry and Addictions Case Conference (PACC) on June 20, 2019. This was one of two sessions which focused on the diagnosis and medical management of psychosis in primary care settings. The goal of these two sessions is to build understanding among primary care providers about the treatment and management of psychosis and how the medical management of psychosis can impact the physical health of those receiving treatment. In this session, Dr. Sarah Kopelovich reviews updated facts and figures concerning psychosis outcomes to enable primary care providers to provide more accurate psychoeducation, key considerations relevant to differential diagnosis in a primary care setting, and core practical skills for a clinical encounter of any nature. Dr. Kopelovich also provides information about high-yield behavioral interventions and skill building techniques that can be incorporated into primary care sessions. The UW Psychiatry and Addictions Case Conference (UW PACC) series is a CME-accredited program designed to expand the mental health and addictions care capacity of health care professionals in remote, underserved areas of Washington. The goal of UW PACC is to develop a regional peer learning and support network for treating mental health and addictions that will ultimately result in better patient care. Modeled after the University of New Mexico's Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), UW PACC offers telehealth resource support to build the confidence and skills of providers who care for patients with mental and behavioral health conditions. The series is appropriate for primary care providers, mental health or addictions providers, and psychiatrists willing to engage in a proven model of distance learning. Using interactive video, each session includes a 20-minute educational presentation from a year-long curriculum, followed by in-depth case consultations between community providers and a panel of UW Medicine psychiatrists. New attendees are welcome at any time and weekly attendance is not required.

Recording of the webinar titled Integrated Care Needs of Older Adults with Serious Mental Illness & Implications for Effective Care Transitions, originally held on July 10, 2019.   Slide Presentation  Older Adult Fact Sheet

Assertive Community Treatment Fidelity and Rural Considerations May 28, 2019 Dr. Hannah Koch discussed how to tweak the Assertive Community Treatment model to make it work in a rural setting. Slide deck

The Northwest MHTTC is partnering to provide All Patients Safe training to a part of the region's workforce specifically based on the rates and prevalence of suicide. Suicide is a silent epidemic and public health crisis.  In the US, suicide is a more common cause of death than breast cancer, prostate cancer, or traffic fatalities.  In 2014 the rate of Alaska Native males that died by suicide was nearly four times the national average. All Patients Safe provides the necessary tools to medical providers to understand their role in suicide prevention by teaching them how to: •    Integrate screening and assessment tools into their practice •    Educate patients on keeping homes safe •    Refer patients to additional resources •    Follow up with those at risk for suicide Medical professionals can make an enormous impact! 

Why do we, as behavioral health providers, need to be concerned about the social determinants of health? This brief fact sheet examines how mental health is shaped by the social, economic, and physical environments in which people live, and how providers can address the determinants through social justice collaborations.

Suicide Prevention for Primary Care Physicians March 26, 2019 Learn more about the toolkit which offers the support necessary to establish the primary care provider as one member of a team, fully equipped to reduce suicide risk among their patients. Recording Suicide Prevention Toolkit

Dr. Michelle Zechner, PhD, LSW, CPRP is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers, School of Health Professions, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. She has focused her 25 year career on supporting the recovery of people with mental illnesses and their families. She has worked in a variety of community and inpatient settings including nursing homes, outpatient mental health services, state psychiatric hospitals, and community services for older adults. In her current role she has focused on implementation of evidence-based psychosocial practices in psychiatric hospitals, developing and testing health and wellness promotion interventions in community settings, teaching students, training diverse mental health staff on best practice interventions for older persons with mental illnesses, and conducting research. Dr. Zechner's research includes the development of multi-domain wellness programs for people with mental illnesses, promotion of and adherence to physical activity in people with mental illness, use of peer health coaching strategies and identifying best practices for use with older adults with mental illnesses. She has co-authored peer-reviewed and technical publications on health promotion for people with mental illnesses, and has presented her work at local, national, and international conferences. She is passionate about supporting older adults with mental illnesses to improve their mental and physical health.    Part 1 of the webinar addresses the following learning objectives: Develop understanding of older adults with SMI Describe this growing population Identify unique concerns for this population Health challenges Psychiatric symptoms Evaluate the strengths that develop with older age   Click here to view a recording of the webinar delivered on March 20, 2019. (Please note the recording begins a couple of slides in).  Click on the download link above to access the webinar slides. 

PDF of powerpoint slides which explain the Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC).