2012 Webinars
Clinical Use of Mobile Apps in Behavioral Health Treatment
November 15, 2012, 1–2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview
With new technological developments occurring every day, health care providers are in a unique position to interact with patients using different modalities (e.g., mobile phones, websites, tablets). For example, behavioral health clinicians may use mobile apps to reinforce skills learned during the therapeutic process.
The National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) leads the Defense Department’s efforts to advance the use of technology for the prevention, assessment and treatment of a broad range of health conditions for service members, veterans and their families. Using the latest technology, T2:
- Creates virtual reality mental health applications
- Oversees suicide surveillance/automation programs across the Defense Department
- Facilitates telehealth and Web-based care for psychological health/traumatic brain injury (TBI) (video teleconferencing, afterdeployment.org, interactive media)
- Develops mobile applications to support 24/7 access to behavioral health tools and critical support systems
The goal of this webinar is to inform individuals about T2’s technological resources for use in psychological health and TBI care with a special emphasis on mobile apps that may be used to supplement psychological health treatment. Specifically, this webinar will:
- Discuss the PE Coach, a mobile application designed to support the tasks associated with prolonged exposure treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This mobile application helps users to self-monitor behavior and provides education about PTSD as well as resources for coping with PTSD.
- Discuss the T2 Mood Tracker, a mobile application that helps users to self-monitor, track and reference their emotional experience over a period of days, weeks and months using a visual analogue rating scale.
Presenters:
- Julie Kinn, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Mobile Health Program, National Center for Telehealth and Technology - Greg Reger, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, National Center for Telehealth and Technology
Moderator:
- Col. Rick Campise
Deputy Director, National Capital Region Office, National Center for Telehealth and Technology
Understanding Psychopharmacology Polypharmacy in Service Member and Veteran Populations
October 25, 2012, 1–2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview
Health care providers treating service member and veteran populations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face a number of challenges. PTSD, itself, can be difficult to treat even when prescribed medications conform to the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline. Furthermore, people with PTSD usually have at least one co-occurring disorder or problem that requires treatment in its own right. Most commonly these include depression, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injury, insomnia, pain, aggressive behavior or medical/surgical problems.
As a result, providers frequently interact with patients that have complex drug regimens for both physical and psychological health disorders. Prescribers need to carefully consider the implications of adding a new medication to a treatment regimen that may already include several pharmacological agents. They also need to consider discontinuing ineffective treatments that may only complicate clinical management. Although sometimes it is necessary to prescribe a number of medications for complex patients, combinations of medications increase the occurrence of adverse drug interactions, medication misuse and medication non-compliance/adherence. Additionally, combinations of medications have been identified as a contributing factor for suicides and unintentional deaths.
Non-prescribing health care providers treating service member and veteran populations are in a unique position to identify risk of drug-drug interactions, monitor patients for adverse drug reactions, educate patients about polypharmacy and refer patients for further assessment. This webinar will:
- Review the rates of polypharmacy in service member and veteran populations with a special emphasis on psychopharmacological medications
- Identify factors leading to polypharmacy situations and the safety risks
- Describe the role of clinicians in working with patients who have complex drug regimens
Presenter:
- Matthew J. Friedman, M.D.
Executive Director, Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD; Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Moderator:
- CAPT Paul S. Hammer, MC USN
Director, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
Managing Suicidal Behaviors
September 27, 2012, 1–2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview
Since 2004, the number of suicides among active-duty service members has increased dramatically. The rise in military suicide rates may be associated with psychological health problems and/or interpersonal and family stressors. Research has suggested that of those who commit suicide many had visited a health care provider within the month prior to their death.
The goal of this webinar is to educate health care providers about their role in identifying and managing suicidal behaviors. Specifically, this webinar will:
- Review the public health significance of suicide
- Describe screening and assessment methods for identifying suicidal patients
- Identify interventions for managing suicidal behaviors
Presenters:
- Peter M. Gutierrez, Ph.D.
Clinical/Research Psychologist, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center - Marjan Ghahramanlou Holloway, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS); and Director, Laboratory for the Treatment of Suicide-Related Ideation and Behavior (USUHS)
Moderator:
- USPHS Capt. Janet Hawkins, L.C.S.W.
Prevention Division Chief, Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
PTSD 101: Education for the Civilian Health Care Provider Treating Service Members
August 23, 2012, 1–2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview
Published studies suggest that 10–17 percent of service members self-report significant PTSD symptoms following deployment. The prevalence of clinically diagnosed PTSD in returning OEF/OIF service members is 2.4 percent, according to the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center. However, 2.4 percent is likely an underestimate, given the stigma related to receiving a diagnosis of PTSD and seeking mental health care.
PTSD is associated with many comorbid conditions, including heart disease, susceptibility to infections and chronic pain. Patients with PTSD are likely to use health care services at higher rates than non-PTSD patients. Health care providers have a unique opportunity to identify, treat, monitor and refer patients with PTSD, increasing the chance that patients receive help.
The goal of this webinar is to enhance civilian health care providers’ knowledge of trauma and its treatment for service members and veterans.
Presenters:
- Terence Keane, Ph.D.
Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System
Director, Behavioral Science Division, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - Maj. Jeff Hall
Operations Training Officer, First Army Headquarters, Rock Island, Ill.
Moderator:
- Col. Charles C. Engel, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Deployment Health Clinical Center
Associate Professor and Associate Chair (Research), Department of Psychiatry, Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Concussion Management in the Deployed Setting: New 2012 Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE) and Clinical Algorithms
Date/Time: July 26, 2012, 1–2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Resources
Overview
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, is the most common form of TBI sustained in the military. Unlike a severe or moderate TBI, mTBI may not be easily identified. Recognizing the importance for early detection, the Defense Department developed MACE, a standardized clinical interview for assessing concussion in a deployed setting. Used in conjunction with clinical judgment, MACE and the Concussion Management in Deployed Settings clinical algorithms take approximately 10 minutes to administer, assisting health care providers in proceeding with the cognitive screening, symptom screening and neurological evaluation. In 2012, MACE and the clinical algorithms were significantly redesigned.
This webinar will:
- Present appropriate administration techniques for MACE
- Accurately summarize and document MACE findings
- Review critical changes to the 2012 algorithms for concussion/mTBI management in the deployed setting, and
- Discuss concussion care policy to include recurrent concussion and implication for return to duty
Presenters
- Maj. Sarah B. Goldman, Ph.D., OTR/L, CHT
Army TBI Program Director
Office of the Surgeon General
Rehabilitation and Reintegration Division - Helen C. Coronel, MSN
Neuroscience Clinician
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
Moderator
- Col. Jamie B. Grimes, M.D.
National Director, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
Office of the Surgeon General Neurology Consultant
This webinar about the new 2012 Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE) and clinical algorithms was provided for awareness and informational purposes only, and does not fulfill official MACE training.
It will not be archived or available for download after the webinar. For more information about the topic and additional TBI training for providers, medics, corpsmen, commanders and service members please visit:
To request new MACE and Concussion Management Algorithm cards issued in 2012, email info@DVBIC.org.
Intimate Partner Violence: What Health Care Providers Need to Know
Date/Time: June 28, 2012, 1-2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem in the United States. Nearly three of 10 women and one of 10 men have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by a partner (Black et al., 2011). IPV victims are at risk for a variety of psychological health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and substance misuse.
Several factors (e.g., being violent or aggressive, alcohol misuse) may increase the risk of someone hurting his/her partner. Research has suggested the co-occurrence of IPV and PTSD may be related to combat experiences.
This webinar will address the impact of IPV on victims' psychological health and identify appropriate screening methods for signs of abuse. In addition, this webinar will examine the relationship between IPV and PTSD, emphasizing provider-level strategies for addressing IPV perpetration.
Presenters
- April A. Gerlock Ph.D., ARNP
Research Associate, HSRD NW Center of Excellence
VA Puget Sound Health Care System - Carole Warshaw, M.D.
Director
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health
Treating Depression in Primary Care
Date/Time: May 24, 2012, 1-2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview Depression is a common medical condition impacting approximately 10 percent of Americans in a given year. Depression accounts for one of every five visits to primary care settings and is associated with various types of chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, HIV, cancer), pain conditions and neurological disorders. Primary care settings offer an opportunity for early identification and intervention. Research has suggested that primary care settings, which incorporate screening, treatment and symptom monitoring of patients, are likely to improve patient care. This webinar will discuss the prevalence of depression, screening tools and interventions that can be used by health care providers treating patients in primary care settings.
Presenters
- Anne C. Dobmeyer, Ph.D., ABPP
Cmdr., U.S. Public Health Service
Chief Psychology Consultant, Patient-Centered Medical Home
Deployment Health Clinical Center - Michael C. Freed, Ph.D.
Director, Stepped Enhancement of PTSD Services Using Primary Care (STEPS UP)
Deployment Health Clinical Center
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Children of Deployed Parents: Health Care Provider Strategies for Enhancing Coping Skills
Date/Time: April 26, 2012, 1:00 - 2:30 (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Overview Since the onset of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom, military families have experienced multiple and extended deployments. Although many children adjust well, the stress of parental deployment may increase the risk for adjustment problems, emotional difficulties and internalizing/externalizing behaviors (e.g., physical aggression/substance abuse). Health care providers frequently serve military families struggling with deployment-related issues. This webinar will discuss the impact of parental deployment on children’s psychological health and identify strategies and resources relevant to coping.
Presenters
- Stephen Cozza, M.D.
Associate Director, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress - Michelle Sherman, Ph.D.
Director, Family Mental Health Program of the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center;
Clinical Professor, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Identifying Concussion/mTBI in Service Members
Date/Time: March 22, 2012, 1-2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Purpose
According to the 2008 Rand report, Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery, approximately 19.5 percent of U.S. service members who have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq report experiencing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during deployment. Mild TBI (mTBI), also known as concussion, is the most common form of TBI sustained in the military. Unlike a severe or moderate TBI, mTBI may not be easily identified. Recognizing the importance of early detection, the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs implemented system-wide screening procedures to facilitate appropriate care for service members and veterans.
This webinar will discuss the impact of mTBI in service members, describe screening programs implemented across the Defense Department and address some of the challenges associated with screening.
Presenters
- David L. Brody, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, Mo. - Lt. Tracie B. Lattimore, RN, MSN, NP-C
Deputy Director, TBI Programs
U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
Washington, D.C.
Treating Sleep Problems in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Date/Time: Feb. 23, 2012, at 1-2:30 p.m. (EST)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Purpose: The DCoE February webinar will focus on evidence-based and empirically-supported treatments for sleep problems (e.g., trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, nightmares and excessive daytime sleepiness) that are common in patients with PTSD and/or TBI. Both behavioral and pharmacological treatments will be presented, with a special emphasis on prazosin. Prazosin is a medication that has been found to be effective in reducing combat-related nightmares.
Presenters:
- Anthony Panettiere, MD
National Intrepid Center of Excellence - Murray Raskind, MD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System
Date/Time: Jan. 26, 2012, at 1-2:30 p.m. (EST)
Presentation | Resources | Podcast (mp3)
Purpose: The DCoE January webinar will focus on alcohol misuse among service members and examine a secondary prevention method in non-specialty settings to engage service members at an early stage of risk. Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a system-level approach to identify and treat people with drinking problems. Research has demonstrated that SBIRT is effective in identifying individuals at risk of developing serious alcohol problems. The SBIRT model is consistent with the “VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Substance Use Disorders” from 2009 and will aid health care providers in integrating a step-by-step process for clinical decision making.