Priority Populations

As the population of older adults grows, behavioral health providers are increasingly caring for people with neurodegenerative diseases, cognitive impairment, and their caregivers. This course offers an overview of major neurodegenerative conditions, their clinical features and progression, their impact on mental health and behavior, and the role of interprofessional collaboration.

Although there is a similar prevalence of behavioral health disorders in rural and urban areas, the obstacles to getting help are very different. This course explores why creating unrealistic discharge plans can result in rural patients being sent home with resources and services that are inaccessible or unavailable, increasing the risk of hospital readmission and worsening health outcomes.

Additionally, you will examine how unrealistic discharge plans can place additional strain on already overburdened and under-resourced rural providers, who may be forced to scramble for alternative resources or services for care they are not fully equipped to provide (Morales, 2020).

Upon conclusion, you will be better prepared to increase the feasibility of discharge plans for rural patients and improve your communication with rural healthcare providers; ultimately leading to improved transition of care and care coordination for individuals living in rural areas with behavioral health needs.

This course is designed to equip behavioral health professionals with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to effectively support older adults who take on caregiving roles. The course delves into the multifaceted impact that caregiving has on the overall health and well-being of both caregivers and the individuals they care for.

You will gain insights into the unique challenges faced by older adult caregivers, including mental, emotional, and physical health issues that may arise from their caregiving responsibilities. Furthermore, the curriculum covers the social and environmental factors that can influence caregiver health and stress levels.

In addition to exploring the specific needs of this demographic, the course emphasizes evidence-based interventions and strategies aimed at enhancing caregiver well-being. This includes practical tools for stress management, coping mechanisms, and resources for building a supportive network. By the end of the course, you will be better prepared to provide targeted support that promotes resilience and health in older adult caregivers, ultimately improving their quality of life as they navigate the complex dynamics of caregiving.

This course is designed for behavioral health professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills when working with older adults. You will gain skills in addressing the unique behavioral health needs of aging populations through a combination of theoretical knowledge, practical strategies, and evidence-based interventions. The course provides an overview of the aging experience, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges that individuals often encounter as they age. It will also review common behavioral health needs in older adulthood and provide guidance on implementing existing evidence-based practices to support this population effectively. Upon completion of the course, you will be empowered to deliver holistic, culturally sensitive, and effective behavioral health care to older adults.

Mental and substance use disorders are more prevalent among persons in jails than they are in the general population, and people with severe mental illnesses are several times more likely to be found in jails than in hospitals. In Colorado, reports suggest that more than 50% of people in county jails have a serious mental illness. Nationwide, estimates suggest that approximately a million persons with behavioral health conditions are encountered by correctional staff across jails and prisons on any given day, and several million each year. Both people with and without behavioral health conditions exhibit appreciable rates of criminal recidivism following release from incarceration, and those with substance use disorders or co-occurring (substance use and mental) disorders tend to display the highest rates of recidivism.

The Risk–Need–Responsivity model (RNR) is a promising framework for reducing criminal recidivism in this population. This course equips Colorado clinicians in jail and outpatient settings with the awareness and knowledge needed to commit to RNR’s overarching and organizational principles as a foundation for services poised to reduce recidivism. Participants will also examine how to use RNR’s core principles to inform services. Additionally, participants will examine RNR’s structured assessment, program delivery, and staff practices principles to further inform how and what to assess, decision-making about the intensity of services, and how to effectively interact with clients and maintain them in services. Upon conclusion, participants will be better prepared to synthesize the philosophy of RNR with the values of the behavioral health system.