Psychologists in Primary Care in Canada: Research, Practice, and Advocacy
Primary Care is the nexus point for the majority of non-life threatening issues, including mental and physical health (and their meeting point at behavioural health). With many regions in Canada facing a primary care crisis, integrating psychologists into primary care using a Primary Care Behavioural Health (PCBH) model can improve patient access to assessment and treatment, improve patient wellbeing, mitigate care team burnout, and reduce healthcare costs. The PCBH model has been widely implemented around the world. It requires specific training in brief assessments and all aspects of health-related intervention. In this webinar we will outline the rationale and research for integrating psychologists into primary care using the PCBH model, core competencies required, and the approach used in BC to work with government to create true team-based primary care with a shift toward behavioural health.
About the Presenters
Dr. Simon Elterman, R.Psych. is a registered psychologist in British Columbia who has trained in health psychology and primary care behavioural health integration in Canada, the UK, and the US. Dr. Elterman has worked in primary care as a behavioural consultant for several years as a clinician, program development consultant, and supervisor of other psychologists and allied health professionals. Most recently, Dr. Elterman has worked at the Hope to Health Research and Innovation Clinic, which is a primary care clinic on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver connected with a research centre and safe consumption site. Dr. Elterman is also the chair of the Advocacy Committee and a board member for the British Columbia Psychological Association. Dr. Elterman is a co-author of the Primary Care Psychology (PCPsych) Program, which is under review by the BC Ministry of Health.
Dr. Erika Penner, RPsych, is a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia. She is the Psychology Lead for the Vancouver Coastal Health Region and a Director of Advocacy for the BC Psychological Association. She is a Clinical Professor within the Department of Psychiatry and Faculty of Medicine at the University of BC, and a Clinical Associate (providing supervision to clinical psychology graduate students) at Simon Fraser University. She worked as a health psychologist within the Department of Medical Psychology at BC Children’s Hospital for over a decade, where she also conducted research in pediatric transplant as a Clinical Investigator with the BC Children’s Research Institute. She is one of the authors of the Primary Care Psychology (PCPsych) proposal, currently submitted to BC’s Ministry of Health.
Continuing Education Information
1 CE Credit, Instructional Level: Intermediate
1 Contact Hour (New York Board of Psychology)
Learning Objectives:
- Explain how training psychologists in primary care leads to benefits at a patient, care team, and healthcare system level.
- Identify the requisite skills needed and duties performed of a psychologist as a behavioural health consultant in primary care.
- Describe the Primary Care Psychologist proposal and our lessons learned from 3 years of advocacy.
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Webinar start time is 2:00pm ET/1pm CT/12pm MT/11am PT