Full. The webinar session is limited to 120 participants, but there is a wait list. If space becomes available, you will receive a registration confirmation email. A recording of the webinar will be available on our website.

Continuing Education Contact Hours: 1.5 Contact Hours anticipated by the UW School of Social Work and UW School of Nursing

Print Webinar Brochure (pdf)

Description

Behavioral health problems such as depression, anxiety, alcohol or substance abuse are among the most common and disabling health conditions worldwide. They often co-occur with chronic medical diseases and can substantially worsen associated health outcomes. When behavioral health problems are not effectively treated, they can impair self care and adherence to medical and mental health treatments and they are associated with increased mortality and increased overall health care costs. Since the first research trials in the 1990’s investigating the integration of mental health treatment into primary care, dozens of published studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of collaborative care for common mental disorders.  As research evidence supporting the integration of mental health care into primary care mounts, concomitant interest in the dissemination of these evidence-based models grows among payers, policy makers, healthcare providers and healthcare consumers.

The purpose of this introductory webinar is to briefly examine the state of the art of integrated mental health care, review successful dissemination and implementation efforts, and discuss opportunities and challenges to evidence-based integrated care programs in the context of the patient-centered medical home.

Objectives for presentation

• Demonstrate an understanding of the limits of our current system
• Describe evidence-based  solutions and implementation experience
• Identify the opportunities and challenges to evidence-based integrated care program

Presenter:   Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA   

Dr. Unützer is Professor and Vice-Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and Chief of Psychiatric Services at the UW Medical Center. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Health Services at the UW School of Public Health and an Affiliate Investigator at the Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies.  Dr. Unützer works with national and international organizations to improve care for common mental disorders, and has published over 190 articles in peer reviewed medical journals. His research focuses on collaborative care programs that improve the capacity of primary care practices to care for individuals with common mental disorders, such as depression, and on ‘translating’ evidence-based mental health treatments into effective clinical and public health practice. He directs the AIMS Center (Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions) and the IMPACT Implementation Center, which supports diverse health care organizations in implementing evidence-based mental health care programs.