Evidence-based psychosocial interventions (EBPIs) delivered in integrated primary care (PC) have the potential to improve population health, particularly for rural patients with little access to specialty services. As a part of a quality improvement project designed to increase EBPI use by rural behavioral health providers (BHPs) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), a modified, low intensity, graduated training model for Problem-Solving Training for Primary Care (PST-PC) was developed and marketed to a variety of BHPs working in integrated care settings. The new training model, Problem-Solving Training for Integrated Care (PST-IC), was rolled out in November 2023 with a pilot cohort of BHPs working in rural VHA integrated care settings. Participant feedback following the training indicates a high degree of satisfaction with the new model, and post-training data collected regarding implementation suggests PST-IC skills are being integrated into training participants’ clinical practice. This presentation will spur discussion among frontline rural BHPs, program leaders, and researchers about improving accessibility and usability of EBPI training to enhance outcomes for hard-to-reach rural populations.
Sarah Ingle, Education and Implementation Specialist, Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center Sarah Ingle
KATHERINE DOLLAR, Executive Director, Center for Integrated Healthcare, Center for Integrated Care KATHERINE DOLLAR PhD