Cohort 3

Sessions

Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
Region 8: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY

Session 1

Understanding and Implementing Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities

May 14, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET

SME: Nina Sanderson, LSW, SMQT

Nina is a senior improvement advisor at Comagine Health. Before joining Comagine Health, she spent ten years as a state and federal surveyor and thirteen years as the social services director at a 106-bed facility.

In this session, participants will learn about CMS requirements related to behavioral health and implementing a comprehensive program in long-term care nursing facilities.

Topics include:
• CMS requirements related to behavioral health
• Includes: F645, F699, F740, F741, F742, F743, and F745
• Medically related social services
• Psychosocial outcome severity guide

Session 2

Mental Health Basics

June 18, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET

SME: Stephanie Smith, MSW, LCSW

Stephanie is a licensed clinical social worker and is the Center of Excellence regional behavior specialist for Region 8. She has extensive experience in various settings, including residential behavioral health, child welfare, the non-profit sector and medical social work.

In this session, participants will enhance their understanding of serious mental illness and develop their skills to provide better care for residents with mental illness.

Topics include:
• Definitions and impact of mental illness
• Disorder classes and common symptoms
• Caring for residents with mental illness
• Summary of disorder types and national resources

Session 3

Screening for Mental Health & Substance Use in Nursing Facilities

July 23, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET

SME: Krystle Malo

Krystle has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She specializes in dialectical behavior therapy and program management and has worked with individuals facing sex offenses, juvenile offenses and high-risk individuals with mental illness. She has also provided services to people with developmental delays and chemical dependency and provided training on various behavioral health topics for long-term care providers.

In this session, participants will learn to use several tools to further their facility’s behavioral health programs.

Participants can expect to learn about:
• Recommended screening tools for the nursing facility setting
• Mental health screening tools
• Substance use disorder screening tools
• Incorporating screening results into resident-specific care

Session 4

Engaging with Residents: Effective Communication Skills

August 20, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET

SME: Jeannette Horton, LMHC, GMHS

Jeannette is a behavioral health quality improvement consultant with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. She provides detailed, resident-specific consultations to nursing facilities, adult family homes, and assisted living facilities that deal with challenging behaviors. She is an experienced chemical dependency professional and subject matter expert on the CMS State Operations Manual for nursing homes.

This session will focus on engaging residents by developing effective communication skills.

Participants will learn about:
• The importance of active listeningfacility setting
• Basic attending skills
• Verbal and nonverbal communication
• Adapting communication style

Session 5

Incorporating BH & SUD into Individualized Assessment & Person-Centered Care

September 17, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET

SME: Caroline Stephens, PhD, RN, GNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN

Caroline is an associate professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing and the Helen Lowe Bamberger Colby Presidential Endowed Chair in gerontological nursing. She has over 20 years of clinical experience caring for vulnerable older adults with complex mental and physical multi-morbidity.

This session will explore ways to incorporate the needs of residents with behavioral health and substance use disorders into a patient-centered care approach.

Participants will learn about:
• Understanding the life course perspectives of the resident with behavioral health and substance use disorder needs
• Reframing the Paradigm: Behavioral Symptoms vs. “Resident As A Problem”
• Developing and implementing a person-centered integrated care plan as a team
• Placement and care transition considerations

Session 6

De-Escalating Aggressive Behavior & Crisis in Residents

October 15, 2024 | 3 p.m. ET

SME: Jeannette Horton, LMHC, GMHS

Jeannette is a behavioral health quality improvement consultant with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. She provides detailed, resident-specific consultations to nursing homes, adult family homes, and assisted living facilities that deal with challenging behaviors. She is an experienced chemical dependency professional and subject matter expert on the CMS State Operations Manual for nursing homes.

In this final session of the series, participants will learn about strategies for de-escalating behavior and how to incorporate them into their work.

Participants will learn about:
• Understanding the root causes of behavior
• Mirroring
• Combining active listening and boundary-setting skills
• Environmental considerations

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.

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).

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.