AMHCA recently announced the launching of a new initiative to engage and assist members through the “AMHCA Strategic Counselor Engagement and Network Technology effort (or the ASCENT program).” This effort will be the beginning of an electronic forum for sharing and learning about new and successful ideas that address the needs of AMHCA members. Through shared learning, CMHCs will work with each other to test and implement changes that lead to lasting quality and patient care improvements. Due to the incredible interest in the articles that appeared in the April issue of the Journal of Mental Health Counseling (JMHC) on “Mental Health in Primary Care,” Journal contributors from the April issue will partner with CMHCs and other practitioners to help find innovative ways to translate the recommendations that are contained in the Journal articles. More specifically, researchers and practitioners in this electronic community of practice will have the opportunity to discuss ideas and identify innovative ways to implement the recommendations that are contained in the JMHC articles. The ASCENT initiative presents an initial, major opportunity to develop a comprehensive and integrated learning community approach to connecting Journal contributors to Clinical Mental Health Counselors by facilitating research findings into timely practice (i.e., a journal-facilitated-scholar-practitioner network). Similarly, practice efforts will inform future research projects (i.e., translating practice to research). To help launch this initiative we have invited JMHC contributors to instruct CMHCs on their recommendations and theories in real-world environments – on the ground – through CMHC practices and partnerships with other mental health providers. It will allow contributors to point to the research-into-practice aspect of their work, and refine ideas and recommendations and placed in subsequent journals, thereby creating a comprehensive feed-back loop. To kick off the effort, Journal authors will engage the clinical mental health profession and engage and provide general technical assistance to CMHCs on a critically important area – namely mental health and primary care integration – and how CMHCs can prepare themselves for future innovative patient care and delivery mechanisms. The April Journal authors will discuss their findings and recommendations through an initial set of “Conversation Starter” sessions this summer created and funded by AMHCA focusing on major themes of the journal articles from the April 2014 issue:
- July 31 -- How to Get Started: Gaining Basic Competencies on Integrated Care
- August 19 -- Carving Out an Integrated Care Niche: Cultural and Linguistic Competencies and Tailored Care
- September 11 – New Collaborative Models: How to Work with PCPs to Address the Needs of Clients with Co-Morbid or Complex Conditions (e.g. Diabetes, Alzheimer’s)
Each webinar will be 2 hours in length, and attendees will receive 2.0 C.E. credits. Each Conversation Starter will begin at 12:00 Noon ET. We also have arranged to have ongoing, virtual engagement and dialogue beginning this fall where AMHCA members will be able to discuss lessons learned and best practices on CMHC integration efforts with primary care practices and other specialties. What to look forward to after the “Conversation Starters”:
- Participating on Cross-Segment Working Groups of AMHCA members using ASCENT program network technology;
- Roundtables to share lessons learned; and
- AMHCA Publications that flow from ASCENT engagement, dialogue and discussions over the next year.
We look forward to your participation in implementing a bold new way of engaging CMHCs and researchers on many levels. For more information about the ASCENT initiative and how to register for the initial three, please go to AMHCA's website.