A new podcast provides an overview of a series of mental health and addictions resources released earlier in 2017 for Primary Care Providers (PCPs). These resources are intended to support Primary Care Providers in identifying and addressing mental health and addictions risks facing adult clients of their primary care practice.
The podcast, recorded by the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP), aims to educate listeners on how to use the risk and functional impairment assessment tool and supplementary materials from CEP. Keeping Your Patients Safe: A Guide to Primary Care Management of Mental Health and Addictions-related Risks and Functional Impairments helps PCPs identify serious risks associated with symptoms and behaviours of mental health illnesses and addictions and provides guidance and intervention suggestions to mitigate risk of harm to clients or others while working with the client to discover longer-term solutions and care options. The tool highlights CMHA’s Bounce Back program and other CMHA services as a resource for lower-risk clients.
Facilitated by the Clinical Co-Leads for the development of these resources, the podcast walks through the main risk an functional impairment tool with listeners. Supplementary materials are noted where they may be leveraged as PCPs work through each section of the tool, such as the Discussion Aid that is indented to help guide discussions with clients.
Through engaging discussion and informative instruction on the tool, this podcast stresses the importance of ensuring sufficient conversations are held with clients as a key component to promote fulsome risk identification. With these strategies, PCPs can address risks to safety and appropriate care options for each client.
The podcast can be listened to on CEP’s webpage dedicated to the tool and supporting resources.