The Dementias: Hope through Research – New Online CE Course

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Gina Ulery

By the National Institute on Aging (NIA)

A diagnosis of dementia can be frightening for those affected by the syndrome, their family members, and caretakers. Learning more about dementia can help. This new continuing education (CE/CEU) course provides a general overview of various types of dementia, describes how the disorders are diagnosed and treated, and offers highlights of research that is supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging, both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Click here to learn more.

The Basics of Dementia

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning, which means the loss of the ability to think, remember, or reason, as well as behavioral abilities, to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Signs and symptoms of dementia result when once-healthy neurons (nerve cells) in the brain stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die. While everyone loses some neurons as they age, people with dementia experience far greater loss. Researchers are still trying to understand the underlying disease processes involved in the disorders.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “Age is the primary risk factor for developing dementia. For that reason, the number of people living with dementia could double in the next 40 years with an increase in the number of Americans who are age 65 or older—from 40 million today to more than 88 million in 2050. Regardless of the form of dementia, the personal, economic, and societal demands can be devastating.”

Types of Dementia

Various disorders and factors contribute to the development of dementia. Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), frontotemporal disorders, and Lewy body dementia result in a progressive and irreversible loss of neurons and brain functions. Currently, there are no cures for these progressive neurodegenerative disorders.

However, other types of dementia can be halted or even reversed with treatment. Normal pressure hydrocephalus, for example, often resolves when excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain is drained via a shunt and rerouted elsewhere in the body. Cerebral vasculitis responds to aggressive treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. In rare cases, treatable infectious disorders can cause dementia. Some drugs, vitamin deficiencies, alcohol abuse, depression, and brain tumors can cause neurological deficits that resemble dementia. Most of these causes respond to treatment.

Causes of Dementia

In many cases, the causes of dementia are unknown at the present time. However, some dementias have identifiable causes such as gene mutation, head injury, Parkinson’s disease, vascular injuries, stroke, other brain diseases such as Huntington’s disease environmental factors like poisoning or substance abuse, and infectious diseases like HIV.

Risk factors include age, alcohol use, atherosclerosis, diabetes, Down syndrome, genetics, hypertension, mental illness, and smoking.

Treatment and Management

Some dementias are treatable. However, therapies to stop or slow common neurodegenerative diseases such as AD have largely been unsuccessful, though some drugs are available to manage certain symptoms. Most drugs for dementia are used to treat symptoms in AD. These drugs are sometimes used to treat other dementias as well. These drugs can temporarily improve or stabilize memory and thinking skills in some people by increasing the activity of the cholinergic brain network. They may also prevent declines in learning and memory. None of these drugs can stop or reverse the course of the disease.

This new CE course The Dementias: Hope through Research provides a general overview of dementia and specific types of dementia along with their signs and symptoms; lists risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of developing one or more kinds of dementia; describes how the disorders are diagnosed and treated, including drug therapy; and offers highlights of ongoing research.

Currently, there are no cures for the common dementias caused by progressive neurodegeneration, including AD, frontotemporal disorders, and Lewy body dementia. However, some forms of dementia are treatable. A better understanding of dementia disorders, as well as their diagnosis and treatment, will make it possible for affected individuals and their caretakers to live their lives more fully and meet daily challenges.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCCACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the CaliforniaBoard of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

The Healing Power of Emotion

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Gina Ulery

The Healing Power of Emotion is a new 7-hour home study CEU course that draws on cutting-edge neuroscience to better understand emotion.

Clinicians have long debated the exact nature of the essential elements that bring about successful healing in psychotherapy. How do we regulate emotion in a healthy way? How can we foster environments that are conducive to positive relationships and optimal health? Specifically, how can we use our emotions to heal and mend emotional injuries? This course is an exploration of how we regulate our bodies, form healthy connections with others, and mend emotional ruptures when they occur.

We are “hardwired to connect with each another, we connect through our emotions,” say the authors. The unique aspect of this course is in the mix of leading neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, therapy researchers, and clinicians who work together to illustrate how we can regulate emotion in a healthy way. A variety of emotions, both positive and negative, are examined in detail, drawing on both research and clinical observations. Just as emotionally traumatic events can tear apart the fabric of family and psyche, the emotions can become powerful catalysts for the transformations that are at the heart of the healing process.

“It is not often that a book with such broad and far-reaching implications for success in psychotherapy comes along,” says Leo Christie, PhD, President and CEO of Professional Development Resources. “Sadly, it is rare for us to see professionals in the areas of neurobiology, physiology, and psychotherapy come together in a collaboration of this magnitude. When we work in a splintered fashion, it is easy to miss the big picture, such as the one that emerges in this extraordinary volume. We are, after all, biological beings, and it makes perfect sense that physical and emotional functions are inseparable from each other.”

The Healing Power of Emotion includes chapters on such topics as reciprocal influences between body and brain, the communication of sympathy and meaning, and possible answers to the essential question – What is emotion? Included also are examinations of the role of emotion in energy and vitality, pleasure and desire, emotion and mindfulness, and emotion in intimate relationships. Chapters focus on specific clinical applications with case examples, including work with individuals, couples, and families.

According to the authors, “our brains, bodies, and minds are inseparable from the emotions that animate them. Emotions are at the nexus of thought and action, of self and other, of person and environment, of biology and culture… Specific emotions include love, joy, pain, fear, anger, gratitude, grief, care, closeness, awe, shame, excitement, agony, passion, and compassion. At one end of the continuum, we find extreme emotional states such as helplessness, terror, despair, and immobility; at the other, faith, enthusiasm, curiosity, tenderness, aesthetic wonder, ecstasy, wisdom, awe, vitality, and even transcendence.”

The psychotherapies described in this course are moving beyond exploration of pathologies to the transformative experiences where joy, new energy, and delight become possible; that and helping people regulate their dysregulated nervous system. Learn more @ https://www.pdresources.org/course/index/6/1156/The-Healing-Power-of-Emotion

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to offer home study continuing education for NCCs (Provider #5590); by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC Provider #000279); by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); by the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); by the Illinois DPR for Social Work (#159-00531); by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); by the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

What customers are saying:

“Wow–what a rich book! However, don’t expect to get through this book quickly (you won’t want to) because it’s chock-full of useful information. It is complete with up-to-date research presented by some of the most cutting edge scientists/clinicians.”

“I loved this book. It is an extraordinary 5 star buffet of articles by cutting edge neurobiology researchers and psychotherapy clinicians, a who’s who in the field. Both the articles on the brain and psychotherapy are consumately well written, and clinical articles have great case illustrations. The psychotherapies described here are moving beyond exploration of pathologies to the transformative experiences where joy, new energy, and delight become possible; that and helping people regulate their dysregulated nervous system. This book is a weaving together of two disciplines that demonstrate what this new frontier looks like. If you have one book to buy — make it this one.”

“The book is a fascinating collection of papers–all connected, yet each with its own distinct flavor reflecting the unique expertise of the individual author. As a clinician who does not have a neuroscience background, I found the book both accessible and highly relevant to clinical practice. I have read these authors separately so am thrilled the meta perspective presented explicitly in the introduction, as well as the weaving together of the concepts that occurs throughout the chapters.”

“I’m really impressed with the level and quality of material in this course. I come to your organization for this high-quality and have yet to be disappointed. Thank you!”

Memorial Day Sale!

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Gina Ulery

Kick-off summer and stock up on CEUs with 25% Off ALL Courses this Memorial Day weekend!

Enter promotion code MemDay25 at checkout and click “update” to apply.

Shop Now!

If your order total is $100 or more (after discount), we’ll issue you a $25 credit that you can use on your next order (code will be sent via email within 1 business day). May Bonus Bucks expire 5/31/2013.

Memorial Day Sale ends at midnight on Monday, May 27, 2013. Coupon valid on future orders only and must be applied at checkout (click ‘update’ to apply – you will see discount deducted from total before entering payment information).

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Professional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC Provider #5590); by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC Provider #000279); by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); by the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); by the Illinois DPR for Social Work (#159-00531); by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); by the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

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National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Gina Ulery

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Child abuse and neglect affect about 6 million children in the United States each year, according to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). In more than 80% of cases, the abuse is from a parent.

Providing support for parents at risk for child abuse is critical to protecting children and ending the cycle of abuse. Each April, the Children’s Bureau, within the ACF, observes National Child Abuse Prevention Month to educate and empower families and communities to protect and care for victims of child abuse and neglect.

The NICHD adds to these efforts by supporting research to identify effective interventions that can help reduce the risk for abuse and by increasing our understanding of the short- and long-term effects of abuse and neglect on children and families. Select a link below to learn more about National Child Abuse Prevention Month and related NICHD research.

Strengthening Families and Communities
NICHD Research on Child Abuse
More Information

Related Online CEU Course:

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a 2-hour online continuing education course approved for psychologists, counselors, social workers, occupational therapists and MFTs. Domestic violence, in the form of child abuse and intimate partner violence, remains a pervasive part of contemporary life in the U.S. Its effects are deep and far-reaching. This course is intended to help health professionals maintain a high state of vigilance and to be well prepared with immediate and appropriate responses when abuse is disclosed. There is a special section on the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if and when to leave an abuser. This course will teach clinicians to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans. This course satisfies the domestic violence requirement for biennial relicensure of Florida mental health professionals. Course #20-61 | 2012 | 31 pages | 18 posttest questions

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC #5590); the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC #000279); the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists (#193); and the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board (#RCST100501).

Texting or Friending Patients Frowned Upon in New Professional Guidelines

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Gina Ulery

By Robert Preidt

In this age of texting, tweets and Facebook “friends,” doctors should show restraint when it comes to reaching out to patients through social media, new guidelines say.

Updated recommendations for online ethics from the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) say the key is drawing a clear line between professional life and social life.

If physicians fail to do so, the “potential dangers are confidentiality concerns, replacement of face-to-face or phone interaction, and ambiguity or misinterpretation of digital interactions,” the American College of Physicians said in a news release.

Some of the key recommendations:

Doctors should not contact or “friend” patients through personal social media such as Facebook.
Text-messaging should not be used for passing along medical information except when there is patient consent. Even then, doctors should use “extreme caution,” the guidelines said.
Careful judgment is needed when a doctor is contacted through email or other electronic communications by someone who is seeking medical advice but has had no previous contact with the doctor. In such situations, it is usually best for the doctor to encourage the person to schedule an office visit, or, in the case of an urgent concern, to go to the nearest emergency department.
Doctors should establish an online professional profile so that it appears first during an online search, instead of a review of the doctor from a physician ranking site. This can provide more control, so that the information read by patients is accurate.
Medical trainees need to be careful about what they post online, or they could damage their future careers.

“It is important for physicians to be aware of the implications for confidentiality and how the use of online media for non-clinical purposes impacts trust in the medical profession,” Dr. Humayun Chaudhry, president and CEO of the FSMB, said in the news release.

The policy paper appears online and in the April 16 print issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

SOURCE: American College of Physicians, news release, April 11, 2013

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_135870.html

Related Online CEU Course:

Ethics and Social Media is a 2-hour online continuing education course for psychologists, counselors, social workers, and MFTs. Is it useful or appropriate (or ethical or therapeutic) for a therapist and a client to share the kinds of information that are routinely posted on Social Networking Services (SNS) like Facebook, Twitter, and others? How are psychotherapists to handle “Friending” requests from clients? What are the threats to confidentiality and therapeutic boundaries that are posed by the use of social media sites, texts, or tweets in therapist-client communication? The purpose of this course is to offer psychotherapists the opportunity to examine their practices in regard to the use of social networking services in their professional relationships and communications. Included are ethics topics such as privacy and confidentiality, boundaries and multiple relationships, competence, the phenomenon of friending, informed consent, and record keeping. A final section offers recommendations and resources for the ethical use of social networking and the development of a practice social media policy.

CE Information:

Prescription Drug-Related Deaths Continue to Rise

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Gina Ulery

By Scott Glover and Lisa Girion

Despite efforts by law enforcement and public health officials to curb prescription drug abuse, drug-related deaths in the United States have continued to rise, the latest data show.

Figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that drug fatalities increased 3% in 2010, the most recent year for which complete data are available. Preliminary data for 2011 indicate the trend has continued.

The figures reflect all drug deaths, but the increase was propelled largely by prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin, according to just-released analyses by CDC researchers.

The numbers were a disappointment for public health officials, who had expressed hope that educational and enforcement programs would stem the rise in fatal overdoses.

“While most things are getting better in the health world, this isn’t,” CDC director Tom Frieden said in an interview. “It’s a big problem, and it’s getting worse.”

Drugs overtook traffic accidents as a cause of death in the country in 2009, and the gap has continued to widen.

Overdose deaths involving prescription painkillers rose to 16,651 in 2010, the CDC researchers found. That was 43% of all fatal overdoses.

The numbers come amid mounting pressure to reduce the use of prescription painkillers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering a proposal to limit daily doses of painkillers and restrict their use to 90 days or less for non-cancer patients. The proposal also would make such drugs available to non-cancer patients only if they suffer from severe pain.

“The data supporting long-term use of opiates for pain, other than cancer pain, is scant to nonexistent,” Frieden said. “These are dangerous drugs. They’re not proven to have long-term benefit for non-cancer pain, and they’re being used to the detriment to hundreds of thousands of people in this country.”

Among the most promising tools to combat the problem, Frieden said, are computerized drug monitoring programs that track prescriptions for painkillers and other commonly abused narcotics from doctor to pharmacy to patient. Frieden said such programs should be used to monitor doctors’ prescribing as well as patients’ use.

“You’ve got to look at the data to see where the problems are,” he said. “You don’t want to be flying blind.”

In California, officials do not use the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, known as CURES, to proactively seek out problem patients or physicians. The state’s medical board initiates investigations of doctors only after receiving a complaint. Legislation awaiting action in Sacramento would increase funding for CURES and provide more investigators to police excessive prescribing, among other measures.

Frieden, a physician trained at Columbia and Yale universities, said patient safety should be placed above the concerns among some doctors about scrutiny of their prescribing patterns.

“We all take an oath to, above all, do no harm,” he said. “And these medications do harm. You’re free to practice medicine however you want. But you’re not free to do things that hurt people.”

President Obama’s drug czar, R. Gil Kerlikowske, echoed Frieden’s call for aggressive monitoring by state medical boards.

“You can’t just sit back, have a big database and then say, ‘Well, we’ll wait till there’s a complaint that comes in,’” he said in an interview. “You have to use it proactively.”

Lynn Webster, president-elect of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, said the new figures underscored the need for further action, such as educating physicians to recognize patients who are at risk for abusing painkillers.

“This is not the trend anyone wants to see,” Webster said.

CDC mortality data, culled from death certificates, do not detail how the decedents obtained the drugs that killed them.

A Los Angeles Times analysis of coroners records published last year found that prescriptions from physicians played a substantial role in the death toll. Of 3,733 prescription drug-related fatalities in Southern California examined by The Times, nearly half involved at least one drug that had been prescribed to the decedent by a physician.

Seventy-one doctors prescribed drugs to three or more patients who later fatally overdosed, the analysis showed. And several of the doctors lost a dozen or more patients to overdoses.

The latest CDC figures predate a broad attack on prescription drug abuse and misuse launched by the White House in April 2011. The preliminary figure for 2011 is down slightly but is expected to grow by at least 5% — exceeding the 2010 level — when all death certificates are in and counted, experts said. That’s what has happened in previous years.

Kerlikowske, who heads the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said efforts to hone the response to measures that show results were frustrated by the lagging mortality data. But, he said, anecdotal evidence and surveys of younger Americans suggest “there’s a lot going on that’s moving in the right direction.”

Source: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-prescription-drugrelated-deaths-continue-to-rise-20130329,0,2980747.story

Related Online CEU Course:

Prescription Drug Abuse is a 3-hour online CEU course that examines the effects of the rise in prescription drug abuse. Pharmaceuticals like OxyContin®, Adderall®, and Xanax® are some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs. For some prescription drug addicts, medication was originally taken as prescribed – until they started developing a tolerance for it. For others, members of their peer group began to abuse prescription drugs because they are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive on the street. Prescription drug abuse also affects those who don’t use – through increased costs and the inconveniences of increased security at pharmacies. Treatment is comprised of a series of steps, including detoxification, inpatient/outpatient treatment, and maintenance. In some cases, patients must be closely monitored because of the potential for withdrawal effects. Once treatment is completed, there are various options for maintaining sobriety. Laws are being tightened, and some medications have become difficult to find due to the increased rate of prescription drug abuse. Course #30-61 | 2012 | 30 pages | 20 posttest questions

This course is approved for psychologists, counselors, social workers, occupational therapists, and marriage and family therapists.

CE Information:

Treating Explosive Kids

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Gina Ulery

Treating Explosive Kids is a new 6-hour book-based CEU course for mental health professionals.

“Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach” (2006, 246 pages) provides a detailed framework for effective, individualized intervention with highly oppositional children and their families. Many vivid examples and Q&A sections show how to identify the specific cognitive factors that contribute to explosive and noncompliant behavior, remediate these factors, and teach children and their adult caregivers how to solve problems collaboratively. The book also describes challenges that may arise in implementing the model and provides clear and practical solutions. Two special chapters focus on intervention in schools and in therapeutic/restrictive facilities. Course #60-95 | 45 posttest questions | This is a test only course (book not included). The book (or e-book) can be purchased from Amazon.

CE Credit: 6 Hours
Target Audience: Psychologists | Counselors | Social Workers | Marriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)
Learning Level: Intermediate
Course Type: Test Only

Book Reviews:

“This is by far the best approach I have ever encountered for children who are easily frustrated, chronically inflexible, and explosive (as well as those who “shut down” rather than explode). As a clinical and school psychologist who has worked with such children and families for over 15 years, this approach is the one that works when so many others have failed.” – L. David Epstein

“Very helpful for therapists and parents who want to use the Collaborative Problem Approach with explosive kids. Using plenty of examples and scripts, Drs. Green and Ablon help to walk people through the approach, through common pitfalls, and provide guidance and support for therapists working with families. A must-read for every family therapist and teacher who has ever worked with an explosive child.” – A. Wilson

“I’m a clinical therapist with 18 years’ experience. Several years ago I attended Dr. Green’s training and was very impressed. So much in the mental health field, for working w/ behaviorally challenging kids and parents, focuses on rewards and consequences – basic behavioralism – which only works part of the time for part of the population. This is a wise and effective alternative, and one in consonance with what we’re learning about why explosive kids are that way. My specialty areas are complex trauma and attachment disorders, which aren’t mentioned as root causes for the difficulties in self-regulation skills for (I believe) a majority of explosive kids, which I think is an oversight. However, Dr. Green’s creation of interventions which address the effects of these skill deficits remains an outstanding acheivement. His “Plan A, Plan B, Plan C” model is easily explained by clinicians and understood by parents. His model keeps parents empowered, gives them reasonable guidelines for which plan to use when, strengthens both kids’ and parents’ abilities to problem-solve in a connective, caring way, and gives kids hope for their own growth and change.” – Michal Osier

The Heart and Soul of Change

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Gina Ulery

The Heart and Soul of Change, 2nd Ed, is a new 8-hour book-based CEU course for psychotherapists.

How does psychotherapy work? As research on psychotherapy has accumulated, it has become increasingly clear that common factors like the therapeutic alliance constitute the primary mechanisms for change. This text reviews the empirical research literature, distills the common factors associated with change, and presents them in a clear and straightforward manner for practicing clinicians. Topics include client and therapist factors, the therapeutic alliance, the common factors approach, common factors within psychiatric drug treatment, outcome monitoring (practice-based evidence), and common factors for specific populations (youth psychotherapy, couple and family psychotherapy, and substance abuse/dependence treatment). This CE test is based on the book “The Heart and Soul of Change (2nd Edition): Delivering What Works in Therapy” (2009, 455 pages). The book can be purchased from Amazon.

CE Credit: 8 Hours
Target Audience: Psychologists | Counselors | Social Workers | Marriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)
Learning Level: Advanced
Course Type: Test Only $50

The Psychology of Immigration

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Gina Ulery

The Psychology of Immigration in the New Century is a new 4-hour CEU course based on Crossroads: The Psychology of Immigration in the New Century (click link to download free public-access document) published by the American Psychological Association in 2012 (124 pages). Psychologists and other psychotherapists are, and increasingly will be, serving immigrant adults and their children in a variety of settings, including schools, community centers, clinics, and hospitals, and thus should be aware of this complex demographic transformation and consider its implications as citizens, practitioners, researchers, and faculty. This report aims specifically to describe this diverse population and address the psychological experience of immigration, considering factors that impede and facilitate adjustment. The report, which includes the recent theoretical and empirical literature on immigrants, (a) raises awareness about this growing (but poorly understood) population; (b) derives evidence-informed recommendations for the provision of psychological services for the immigrant-origin population; and (c) makes recommendations for the advancement of training, research, and policy efforts for immigrant children, adults, older adults, and families. This report is essential reading for all healthcare providers who work with first and second generation immigrants and diverse groups in the United States. Course #40-34 | 30 posttest questions

CE Credit: 4 Hours
Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, MFTs
Learning Level: Introductory

Prevention of Medical Errors

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Gina Ulery

Medical errors continue to be a major issue in today’s health care arena. Yet it’s been over a decade since the eye opening report from the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine Report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System (1999): revealed these statistics:

Approximately 50-100,000 Americans die each year from medical errors
Preventable medical errors cause an additional one million injuries to Americans
Medical errors cause more deaths than breast cancer, AIDS or even car accidents
7,000 people die from medication errors alone
Repeat tests, disability, and death due to error cost the US $17-38 billion each year

–
Less dramatically publicized – but often equally damaging to clients – are those mistakes that can occur in the practice of behavioral health. Such errors generally fall into the categories of:

Improper diagnosis
Breach of confidentiality
Failure to maintain accurate clinical records
Failure to comply with mandatory abuse reporting laws
Inadequate assessment of potential for violence
Failure to detect medical conditions presenting as psychiatric disorders (or vice-versa)

–
Such errors of omission or commission can result in lasting damage to clients just like those that occur in the medical arena. Diagnostic errors lead directly to one of two outcomes: either applying improper – and therefore ineffective and unneeded – treatment, and/or the failure to apply effective treatment. Breaches of privacy and confidentiality can precipitate a cascade of adverse events for clients, often reaching far into not only their personal lives, but even into relationship and occupational spheres.

Mental health professionals are required by several levels of ethical and legal standards to maintain accurate clinical records in order to assure continuity in the course of a client’s treatment. The failure to do so can cause harm resulting from the loss of a clear and coherent course of therapy. Failure to comply with mandatory abuse reporting laws and inadequate assessment of potential for violence lead to obvious dangers to clients and others. Finally, confusing medical conditions with psychiatric ones can lead to damaging – even tragic –consequences for clients due to the failure to offer or refer for appropriate treatment.

Preventing Medical Errors in Behavioral Health, a 2-hour online continuing education course, is intended to increase clinicians’ awareness of the types of errors that can occur within mental health practice, how such errors damage clients, and numerous ways they can be prevented. Its emphasis is on areas within mental health practice that carry the potential for “medical” errors. Examples include improper diagnosis, breach of confidentiality, failure to maintain accurate clinical records, failure to comply with mandatory abuse reporting laws, inadequate assessment of potential for violence, and the failure to detect medical conditions presenting as psychiatric disorders (or vice-versa). It includes detailed plans for error reduction and prevention like root cause analysis, habitual attention to patient safety, and ethical and legal guidelines. The course includes numerous case illustrations to help demonstrate common and not-so-common behavioral health errors and specific practices that can help clinicians become proactive in preventing them. There is a new section on preventing medical errors in the use of technology. *This course satisfies the medical errors requirement for license renewal of Florida Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers & MFTs.

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