Essentials for Treating Behavioral Health in Primary Care: A Guide for the Primary Care Provider

This is an Open Access Book. Primary care is the frontline of health care—and increasingly, the frontline of behavioral health. Yet many providers are expected to manage depression, anxiety, substance use, and other behavioral health concerns with limited training and even fewer resources.

This groundbreaking Open Access guide is written specifically for primary care providers, it offers practical, evidence-based strategies to confidently assess and treat behavioral health conditions—whether or not there are dedicated behavioral health supports within the primary care practice. This resource is an excellent primer on behavioral health to be used within undergraduate and graduate medical education settings.

Inside, you’ll discover how to:

·       Understand and embrace your vital role in behavioral health care
·       Apply evidence-based recommendations for assessment and treatment of behavioral health concerns within primary care settings
·       Maximize team-based approaches when integrated behavioral health is available
·       Implement efficient, real-world strategies for patient care when behavioral health resources are limited or nonexistent

Meredith L. C. Williamson, PhD, ABPP, is the Director of Integrated Behavioral Health and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine in the Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine at Texas A&M University. She is an Associate Program Director for Texas A&M Family Medicine Residency Program. She is a licensed psychologist and board certified in Clinical Health Psychology. Dr. Williamson has been recognized nationally by the White House and the Association of American Medical Colleges for her leadership in medical education and integrated behavioral health. 

Danielle L. Terry, PhD, ABPP is the Director of Behavioral Science at the Guthrie Family Medicine Residency in Sayre, Pennsylvania, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Neuroscience Institute at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and is the founder of NeuroKind Consulting LLC, neurokindconsulting.com. She is board certified in Clinical Health Psychology and co-author of the book, Providing Home Care for Older Adults: A Professional Guide for Mental Health Practitioners.