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A qualitative study of strategies and challenges in training behavioral health workforce for integrated primary care.
- Source :
-
Annals of family medicine [Ann Fam Med] 2022 Apr 01 (20 Suppl 1). Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Apr 01. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- Context: COVID-19 has underscored the need to accelerate behavioral health (BH) integration in primary care, where many patients seek mental health services. Expanding BH integration requires a strong and sustainable BH workforce trained to work in primary care. Psychology internship is a critical period of development when doctorate-level therapists receive supervised clinical experiences with integrated primary care.<br />Objective: To explore the strategies and challenges of teaching psychology trainees to practice BH in primary care.<br />Study Design: Qualitative study.<br />Setting: Nine out of 11 psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship programs across the Washington State that provide integrated primary care training were recruited. Response rate was 82%.<br />Population Studied: Twelve training leads and supervisors completed semi-structured interviews between December 2020 - March 2021.<br />Outcome Measures: Interviews focused on participant experiences with providing educational training and supervision to psychology trainees practicing integrated primary care. Data were analyzed using grounded theory approach.<br />Results: Four strategies emerged - orient trainees with extensive onboarding to the culture, context, and function of primary care; provide a psychologically safe space for open dialogues that facilitate professional identity development; model the skills needed to collaborate with primary care teams; and create a structured environment for trainees to practice the skills. Training leads and supervisors also reported three challenges - strategies to address trainees' difficulties with acculturating to the culture of primary care; loss of opportunities to shadow and interact with primary care providers due to telemedicine during COVID-19; and limitations of the traditional supervision structure to accommodate the unpredictable and urgent crises experienced by trainees in fast-paced primary care settings.<br />Conclusion: Future recommendations include early exposure to primary care during psychology graduate training, a hybrid model of fixed and flexible supervision schedules, and intentional efforts to define and balance in-person and remote teaching for different types of training needs.<br />Competing Interests: Authors report none.<br /> (2021 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.)
- Subjects :
- Humans
Workforce
Clinical Competence
Primary Health Care
Health Workforce
COVID-19
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1544-1717
- Issue :
- 20 Suppl 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Annals of family medicine
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 36693194
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.20.s1.2964