ECHO Autism for primary care providers bridges the care gap between primary care, behavioral health, and community health care specialists by sharing best practices as they care and support individuals with autism and their families regardless of geographic location. The participants will present cases specific to children diagnosed with autism while learning more about common medical concerns and comorbid conditions in children with autism. Participants will have a chance to discuss cases with experts and colleagues to learn about evidence based care. A brief didactic presented by an expert will accompany the case discussion.

Join us for these upcoming Behavioral Health Programs offered by Northwest AHEC - highlighting many important topics including trauma informed care, mental health crises, domestic violence intervention, LGBTQ youth, and veteran safety. All programs are being offered as Live Webinars. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most frequently used evidence-based practices in behavioral health services and is a valuable treatment tool for helping individuals achieve their goals.

Ethical Psychopharmacology is a look at several different aspects of how psychoactive drugs are evaluated, marketed, and promoted by prescribers by looking at issues of transparency, research data, conflict of interest, funding sources and their interests, and informed consent. I will describe the drug approval process through the FDA, history of the DSM and how the diagnostic process has been influenced by money, big Pharma, and conflict of interest. We will look at some clever marketing messages and the difference between marketing and science. 

Research has demonstrated that one of the most important aspects of effective therapeutic work is engaging a client and building positive rapport and trust in the therapeutic relationship. In establishing and maintaining a positive relationship with children and adolescents, clinicians must find creative and innovative ways to make therapeutic work engaging and interactive. It is through this interactivity that children and adolescents are often most comfortable in expressing their thoughts and feelings in a way that feels natural and affirming for them.

Group counseling is a frequently used counseling format. Counselors need to be familiar with this format as well as the use of EBPs (e.g., motivational interviewing, MI) in a group setting in order to develop group community. This workshop will provide an opportunity for dialogue about the application of EBPs (e.g., MI) into practice.

Many practice settings are experiencing angry, hostile, and even aggressive behavior from patients, parents, caregivers, and others. This course is designed for health care practice teams who interact with patients and other customers. Background and context of the problem are reviewed, and evidence-based practical tips, suggestions and resources are provided.

We have a new learning opportunity from Northwest AHEC called the Podcast Learning Series. Now you can listen to select episodes of our Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina podcast and earn continuing education credits. And it’s free!

The podcast format allows you to listen at your convenience and multitask while listening. I personally like to do my cardio workout or weight training while consuming podcast content, and sometimes find myself listening while cooking, cleaning, or doing yard work. It's a great way to optimize your learning and your life activities.

This first episode in this Podcast Learning Series is on homelessness in Forsyth County. In this episode you will learn about the main causes of homelessness in our region, the services provided by service organizations in Forsyth County, and the challenges of serving the homeless population and finding permanent housing.

Once you have finished the episode you can take the short post-test to receive 1 hour of CE credit. And another bonus is that this is offered to you at no cost aside from your time and attention.

You can link directly to the course, register and listen here: https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/courses-and-events/72832/podcast-ce-series-homelessness-in-forsyth-county 

Alternatively, you can listen to Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina wherever you get your podcast content (Spotify, Google, Apple, Soundcloud, etc.). Simply search for "Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina" and look for Episode 87 featuring William McDonald, Director of the Bethesda Center for the Homeless in Winston-Salem, NC. 

Once you have listened you can register for the course, take the post-test and claim your 1 hour CE credit.

I hope you find our episodes timely and relevant to your practice. And finally, if you have a topic or know of a person that you think would be great to have on the podcast, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know. I am always looking for interesting topics and presenters to have on the podcast.

The Northwest AHEC Practice Support Team was awarded a grant from NC Medicaid supporting five different online self-paced learning activities.

ECHO Autism for primary care providers bridges the care gap between primary care, behavioral health, and community health care specialists by sharing best practices as they care and support individuals with autism and their families regardless of geographic location.