Better mental wellbeing for Nursing Home residents
starts here.

The necessity to enhance the care of nursing facility residents with mental health and substance use issues is becoming increasingly apparent.

the center of excellence
for behavioral health
in nursing facilities (COE-NF)

Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the COE-NF offers Certified Medicare and Medicaid Nursing Facility Staff a centralized resource hub with easy access to trainings, technical assistance and additional resources, at no cost.

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Consultation
Summaries

Our COE-NF In-Action Summaries demonstrate how we provide critical mental health and substance use supports to nursing facilities. Explore the summaries for ideas and ways you too can transform your nursing facility’s approach to providing high quality behavioral health care to residents. 

COE-NF IN ACTION

De-escalation/Behavioral Expression

Mental Health Training Equips Behavioral Health Ambassadors

Region: 4

Evidence-based mental health training provided by the COE-NF equips behavioral health ambassadors with the necessary tools to de-escalate incidents of aggression, thereby providing a safe and healthy environment for residents,…

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Trauma Informed Care

Enhancing Trauma-Informed Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Region: 9

A vice president of recreation and life enrichment consulted the COE-NF to help improve the quality of care in 40 skilled nursing facilities across three states. The facilities’ representative recognized…

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Upcoming Trainings

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Event

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) – Suicide Prevention

Event Date: January 9, 2025

2 - 3:30 p.m. ET

False

FULL

ACCME & NAB CREDITS WILL BE OFFERED.

QPR training will offer strategies to support your work in providing suicide prevention and mental wellness to your residents. This 1.5-hour evidence-based instructor-led training is held virtually and will provide a comprehensive review of a three-step approach anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide.

Key Components Covered in the Training:

  1. How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be suicidal
  2. How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
  3. The common causes of suicidal behavior
  4. The warning signs of suicide
  5. How to get help for someone in crisis

Registration is limited.

Speaker: Marti Vogt, BT

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Event

Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in Nursing Facilities: Using A 5-Step Approach to Care

Event Date: January 16, 2025

2 - 2:45 p.m. ET

False

False

ACCME CREDITS WILL BE OFFERED.

There are many people around the world who suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 65% to 90% of nursing home residents have a mental disorder ranging from common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression to serious mental illnesses (SMI) like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This session will introduce SMI, an understanding of SMI, and how using a 5-step model for care is effective in assisting staff in supporting residents when a serious mental Illness diagnosis.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define serious mental illness and list the four major categories of SMI.
  2. Describe the differences between SMI and dementia and note misperceptions about SMI.
  3. Describe the recovery model and list the five steps in the CARES approach for SMI care.

Speaker:

Debbie Richman, BS, CDS

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Event

Strategies for Managing Residents with SMI in Long Term Care

Event Date: January 21, 2025

2 - 3 p.m. ET

False

False

ACCME & NAB CREDITS WILL BE OFFERED.

Discover the basic strategies for implementing and maintaining a successful behavioral management program in your long-term care setting. Topics include leadership, regulatory compliance, documentation, care planning, and resident level management strategies. Participants will have a better understanding of how to manage their behavioral residents and implement successful processes.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify common characteristics of resident behavior and their unique needs in the long-term care environment.
  2. Recognize the inherent challenges that come with a behavioral health model.
  3. Use appropriate and effective team strategies to manage resident behaviors in the long-term care setting.

Speaker: Barbara Bull, RN, BSN

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Recently Uploaded Resources

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Consultation Summaries Symptom Management

Improving Quality of Care for Survivors of Suicide Attempts

Description: The COE-NF provided strategies for assessing needs and providing appropriate care to this unique resident population. Case Description: The facility urgently needed support to implement interventions for a resident…

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Trauma Informed Care

CMS Tribal Nursing Homes: Principles of Trauma Informed Care

Long-term care facilities can incorporate each TIC principle without a formal TIC program. Experts who provide long-term care in Indian Country3 offered the following insights and recommendations for this process.

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General

CMS Tribal Nursing Home Best Practices: Cultural Sensitivity

Discover strategies tribal facilities can incorporate to enhance the wellbeing of tribal elders.

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the center of excellence for behavioral health in nursing facilities (COE-NF)

Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the COE-NF offers Certified Medicare and Medicaid Nursing Facility Staff a centralized resource hub with easy access to trainings, technical assistance and additional resources, at no cost.

Learn more about us

What We Do

We help nursing facilities to improve the quality of life and care provided for residents who are experiencing a variety of behavioral health disorders, with a focus on Serious Mental Illness (SMI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD).

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Who We Help

We provide direct technical assistance, evidence-based training, and resources that are appropriate for every member of your long-term care facility — from those providing day-to-day direct care, to clinical and administrative staff.

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