Panel Discussion 22 - What’s up Doc?: optimizing Community Engagement and Innovative Care Models to Increase the Use of CBT in Medical Settings

In recent years, a wave of worsening mental health concerns has led to an increased need for appropriate care. Often, a patient’s first contact for these services are with non-behavioral health providers, and 40-60% of individuals are treated for mental health concerns exclusively within a primary care setting. While cognitive-behavioral therapy is known to be effective in managing many of these difficulties, there are significant barriers to accessing care, including lack of providers, cost, and stigma. Among those patients who are connected to outpatient mental health care, 30-50% never present for treatment. Integrating psychological services within medical settings provides an opportunity to reach individuals through the medical system, and allows for a more streamlined system for families in need of help. Data shows that greater community access to psychological care promotes both physical and mental health outcomes among patients, with benefits seen for problems such as chronic pain, diabetes, substance use, depression, insomnia, and more. The aim of this panel is to present on programs seeking to harness the power of community involvement and innovative models of care to further expand the reach of CBT in addressing growing mental health needs. Panelists will present on a number of unique initiatives within this realm. These include two projects focused on forging strong community partnerships to aid in the development and understanding of CBT resources and treatment for parents of hospitalized youth and individuals receiving gender-affirming care. Further, presenters will introduce novel methods for standardizing mental health crisis support and opioid use disorder within medical settings. Speakers will also present on effective training and education models to increase comfort and proficiency of CBT skills among medical personnel at various training levels and areas of expertise. Finally, the panel will include a model of how to disseminate CBT strategies across varying levels of clinical care and education throughout a statewide medical system. Discussion will include key factors to facilitate successful program development, as well as common barriers for clinicians and researchers to consider in their own work.