From the Harford County Health Department:
Bel Air, MD– On March 21, 2014, the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health will host a webinar in partnership with the Harford County Department of Community Services and Harford County Health Department. The webinar will provide primary care and mental health providers with the skills and resources needed to employ more effective intervention strategies in the county for purposes of moving the county’s behavioral health initiative forward and lowering suicide rates.
The county has the fifth highest suicide rate in Maryland. The suicide rate in Harford County was targeted in 2011 when the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) launched an initiative to improve the health of all citizens through the State Health Improvement Plan. Harford County formed a Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) to identify three top health priority areas in the county including: obesity prevention/ healthy eating and active living, tobacco-free living, and behavioral health, which consists of mental health care and substance abuse prevention. Organizers formed workgroups based on these three top health priorities.
The Behavioral Health Workgroup developed an overall objective for strategies, defined as “a focused approach to include prevention, intervention and recovery.” One of the primary goals of this objective is to use Primary Care/Urgent Care Physicians as a first line of intervention in dealing with cases of depression where suicide screening is indicated.
The workgroup anticipates approaching this goal by providing this free webinar, as well as through ongoing outreach and support to the healthcare providers. Funding is provided by Maryland Community Health Resources Commission.
Physicians and other behavioral health professionals seeking more information about this initiative may contact Molly Mraz at 410-612-1781
tiredofthe bullsh#t says
As a mental health provider, I don’t need the government bureaucracies to provide me with “additional skills.” The county needs to stop wasting money on useless webinar fluff, and put the dollars into finding mental health treatment for those unable to access and sustain it. That is also what is needed to reduce the suicide rate. Thought the core service agency was responsible for improving coordination of our local mental health system. Definitely not a success story, at least in Harford County.
Kharn says
You’re a mental health provider, of course you’re going to know how to deal with a patient discussing suicidal thoughts.
But what about the general practitioners and other specialties who are not so experienced? For some, their psych rotation might have been 20 or 40 years ago, memories fade and medical science advances.