The Innovative Approaches to Rural Mental Health: The Power of Integrated Care Annual Conference highlights the critical integration of behavioral health and primary care to improve outcomes in rural communities. Key sessions will explore how fully integrating these services enhances care for substance use disorders, chronic health conditions, and overall mental wellness. National experts like Dr. Arthur C. Evans, Dr. Diana Prescott, Dr. Nancy Ruddy, and Dr. Patricia Goodhines will share innovative approaches to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care, tailored specifically to meet the needs of rural populations.
Session I (1 Hour/CEUs)
Arthur C. Evans, PhD
CEO of the American Psychological Association
Session: A Vision for the Future of APA and Psychology
This presentation will provide an overview of APA’s strategic goals and share examples of work the association is doing to advance each of these goals: Utilizing psychological science and knowledge to make a positive impact on critical societal issues; Elevating the public’s understanding, appreciation, and utilization of psychology; Strengthening APA’s roles as a leading voice for psychology; and Preparing the field of psychology for current and future opportunities and challenges. This presentation will also explore the reasons why our nation needs to expand our current paradigm to a population-based approach to behavioral health and, importantly, why psychology and psychologists need to be leaders in this movement. From scaling up evidence-informed approaches across systems, to using strategies to reach people before they are in crisis in the places where they live, work, play, and pray, to shaping public policy, examples will be shared that make clear how psychological practice and research are essential to advancing this framework, ultimately better addressing the nation’s needs across the continuum of health and achieving greater health equity.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe how APA’s strategic priorities can shape the future of psychology.
- Determine ways in which psychological science and practice can contribute to addressing critical societal issues.
- Describe how a population-based framework enables behavioral health professionals to reach a wide range of populations.
References
1. Dodge, K. A., Prinstein, M. J., Evans, A. C., Ahuvia, I. L., Alvarez, K., Beidas, R. S., ... & Shaw, D. S. (2024). Population mental health science: Guiding principles and initial agenda. American Psychologist.
2. Beidas, R., Stewart, R., Wolk, C., Adams, D., Marcus, S., Evans, A., … Mandell, D. (2016). Independent contractors in public mental health clinics: Implications for evidence-based practices and beyond. Psychiatric Services, 67(7), 710-717. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201500234
3. Evans, A.C. & Bufka, L.F. (2020). The critical need for a population health approach: Addressing the nation’s behavioral health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17. DOI: 10.5888/pcd17.200261
4. Wiltsey Stirman, S., Matza, A., Gamarra, J., Toder, K., Zhezo, R., Evans, A. C., … Creed, T. (2015). System-level influences on the sustainability of a cognitive therapy program in a community behavioral health network. Psychiatric Services, 66(7), 734-742, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201400147
Biography:
Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr. is a clinical and community psychologist and an innovator in healthcare. He currently serves as the CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA), the leading professional organization representing psychology in the U.S., with more than 146,000 members. Under his leadership, APA advances psychological science and its application to improve society and individual lives.
Prior to joining APA in 2017, Dr. Evans spent 12 years as commissioner of Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. There, he led a transformation grounded in a population health approach, focusing on improving outcomes and system efficiency. His initiatives saved over $110 million, which was reinvested into expanding services and improving care. The Philadelphia model he pioneered is now considered a national and international standard for behavioral health reform.
Throughout his career, Dr. Evans has blended research, community activism, and policy to promote innovative mental health strategies. He is a strong advocate for social justice, engaging marginalized communities and ensuring their voices are heard in every decision-making process. Dr. Evans’ efforts have earned him numerous awards, including recognition from the White House and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Evans holds a PhD in clinical/community psychology from the University of Maryland and has held academic appointments at institutions such as Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Session II (1.5 Hours/CEUs)
Diana Prescott, PhD
Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Maine Psychological Association |
Nancy B. Ruddy, PhD
Professor of Clinical Psychology, Antioch University New England |
Session: Promoting a Rural Population Behavioral Health Approach for Mainers
Maine is the most rural state in the United States, with over 40% of the state’s population residing in rural areas. The non-metropolitan counties in Maine have higher rates of unemployment, poverty, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and overdose deaths compared to the state’s metropolitan counties. Rural Mainers in need of mental health services face significant barriers to care, including long commutes to access services and long waits for specialized mental health services.
The University of Maine developed the Rural Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care (RIBHPC) program to help improve access to mental health care in rural Maine. Funded by two federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grants, the RIBHPC program aims to increase the mental health workforce prepared to work in integrated care in rural areas.
Over five years, the program will train 80 MSW students and 18 clinical psychology PhD students to function as members of integrated behavioral health teams in primary care. These students receive both didactic and experiential training in integrated behavioral health with a focus on rural health care. Additionally, the program will expand the competencies of healthcare providers working in integrated care by offering a series of continuing education workshops related to integrated care.
Eight psychologists are being supported to develop their integrated care competencies, with an emphasis on substance use disorders, enabling the program to expand experiential training opportunities for clinical psychology students and sustain itself beyond the life of the grants. This presentation will provide a university program overview, describe the experience of rural psychologists providing training for these students, consider the benefits of a population health/integrated behavioral health approach, and explore how participants can initiate this type of approach in their work as psychologists to benefit the mental health of rural Mainers.
Biographies:
Diana Prescott, PhD:
Dr. Diana Prescott is a dedicated psychologist with nearly three decades of experience advocating for rural and underserved communities. As the Federal Advocacy Coordinator for the Maine Psychological Association (MePA), Dr. Prescott has played a pivotal role in shaping national policies that address the mental health needs of marginalized populations. Her commitment to improving access to mental health services in rural areas earned her the prestigious Heiser Award from the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2024.
Dr. Prescott’s passion for rural mental health stems from her upbringing on a farm, where she witnessed firsthand the unique challenges faced by rural communities, including high rates of suicide and teen pregnancy. Her advocacy extends internationally, with presentations on rural integrated care at major conferences in countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada.
In addition to the Heiser Award, Dr. Prescott has received numerous accolades, including the APA Practice Organization’s Federal Advocacy Award and a 2023 APA Presidential Citation. She has also served on the APA Board of Directors and chaired the APA Committee on Rural Health.
Dr. Prescott holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she specialized in rural community psychology. She remains committed to advancing equitable healthcare access and continues to be a strong voice for those living in rural areas, both nationally and internationally.
Nancy B. Ruddy, PhD:
Nancy Ruddy received her Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from Bowling Green State University in 1991 and has served on the faculty in primary care residencies at the University of Rochester, Hunterdon Medical Center, Mountainside Hospital, and Montefiore/Einstein College of Medicine. She also served as an Education Specialist in the Graduate Medical Education Department at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Currently, she is a professor of Clinical Psychology at Antioch University New England in Keene, NH, where she runs the Health Psychology and Primary Care Psychology tracks in the doctoral program. She recently joined the University of Maine Orono as an affiliate faculty developing undergraduate internship opportunities and providing clinical supervision.
Dr. Ruddy has been extremely active in the movement to integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings, serving on multiple task forces and committees that focused on interdisciplinary team training. She has delivered dozens of national and international presentations to a variety of audiences. In addition, Dr. Ruddy has published extensively, including the 2008 APA Books publication, “The Collaborative Psychotherapist” and the 2024 book “A Systemic Approach to Behavioral Healthcare Integration: Context Matters” with Susan McDaniel. In 2013, Dr. Ruddy was awarded the Timothy B. Jeffrey Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Health Psychology by the Health Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association. She was named a Fellow of the Health Psychology division in August 2014 and served as the president of the Society for Health Psychology in 2018-2019.
Session III (1.5 Hours/CEUs)
Patricia A. Goodhines, PhD
Session: Substance Use in Integrated Behavioral Healthcare
Substance use and its associated challenges remain critical areas of focus within integrated behavioral healthcare systems. This session will explore the intersection of substance use, public health policy, and treatment strategies, with an emphasis on how these issues manifest in rural settings like Maine.
Key Session Elements:
- Substance Use Landscape in Maine: Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the current substance use trends in Maine, with a particular focus on opioid use, racial disparities, and how rural communities are disproportionately affected.
- Motivational Interviewing: This technique, designed to enhance intrinsic motivation to change, will be discussed as a key method for helping individuals struggling with substance use disorders. Attendees will learn practical MI skills, including how to assess and intervene at various stages of change.
- Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): SBIRT will be covered as a critical evidence-based practice to identify and address problematic substance use in clinical settings. The discussion will include strategies for effectively implementing SBIRT in integrated care environments.
- Harm Reduction: The session will introduce the principles of harm reduction, highlighting its role in minimizing the negative consequences of substance use while respecting individual autonomy. Resources such as naloxone availability and recovery support systems will be explored.
- Group Therapy and Relapse Prevention: Participants will discuss evidence-based strategies for supporting long-term recovery, including group therapy formats and the importance of relapse prevention programs. Dr. Goodhines will share practical tools for maintaining recovery and preventing relapse.
Measurable Learning Objectives:
- Understand substance use trends and the opioid epidemic in rural settings.
- Learn how to apply motivational interviewing techniques in substance use treatment.
- Implement SBIRT practices in integrated behavioral healthcare settings.
- Explore harm reduction strategies and resources for individuals with substance use disorders.
- Discuss relapse prevention strategies and their role in supporting long-term recovery.
This session will equip healthcare professionals with practical tools and insights for addressing substance use in integrated care, while providing a comprehensive look at public health responses and individualized treatment strategies.
Biography:
Dr. Patricia A. Goodhines is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maine, where they lead a research program focused on the dynamic interplay between substance use and sleep across human development. Their work emphasizes understanding the risk pathways contributing to youth substance use and sleep disturbances, with a particular focus on sociodemographic disparities, including race, ethnicity, and LGBTQ+ populations.
Dr. Goodhines’ research often explores the self-medication of sleep issues with non-prescription cannabis among adolescents and emerging adults. Using intensive longitudinal designs and cutting-edge ambulatory technology, their studies aim to inform targeted prevention and intervention strategies to reduce public health burdens associated with sleep problems and substance use.
Before joining the University of Maine, Dr. Goodhines completed a residency in Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. They are also a consultant for the NIH-funded Sleep and Circadian Methods Research Core.
Dr. Goodhines earned their PhD in Clinical Psychology from Syracuse University, where they focused on addiction and developmental research. Their work continues to drive advancements in understanding how sleep and substance use impact health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities.
Cancellation Policy
Full refunds are available for cancellations made at least two weeks before the program start date. Cancellations made up to three days before the program are eligible for a 50% refund. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within three days of the program or for non-attendance.
