Course 1D - 'Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment'

This mini-course and its 1-CREDIT HOUR CERTIFICATE are FREE. You will receive a FREE CEU CERTIFICATE for 1 credit hour upon successful completion of the short quiz and the State-required feedback questionnaire.

This course serves as a demonstration of our 'QUIZ ONLY' course format. (Not all of our courses are in this format. Sign up for FREE Course 1B in this Treatment Methods catalog, to view a slide show format.)

MORE ABOUT 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSES: 'Quiz Only' courses are set up so that you can read, download, and print the online study material AND a copy of the quiz FOR FREE .... even read the course material off-line if you choose. Mark quiz answers on your copy of the quiz as you go, and IF you decide to take the quiz and earn a certificate, just sign up for the course (click on the Sign Up Now button), pay your fee, and follow the links from your 'My Home Page' to the online quiz.

MORE ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION: This mini-course is appropriate for Mental Health, AOD, and Dual Diagnosis treatment professionals and related service providers. The publication SUMMARIZES the current National Guideline for providing Intensive Outpatient Programs to persons with SA-CD-AOD issues. The Guideline was created by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).

The short mini-course document - 'Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment' - is a SUMMARY of a rather lengthy but informative treatise available on the SAMHSA website, at http://www.kap.samhsa.gov/products/tools/cl-guides/pdfs/qgc_47.pdf

To view the GOALS and the study materials AND the QUIZ for this short 1 credit mini-course, click the little + sign below this introduction.

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

FREE Course 1D - The SAMHSA Publication

As with all courses sponsored by CEU By Net, this short 1-hour course meets the criteria of NBCC for length (number of words per credit hour). It is a summary report of the National Guideline for ''Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment" - Developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). It is published by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Guidelines Clearinghouse. It's a 'Quiz Only' course on this website. CEU By Net sponsors the course, administers the quiz and awards the certificate for a passing score. The course is appropriate for those who PROVIDE treatment in – or REFER to – Intensive Outpatient Programs for persons with AOD issues. For EAP providers, this course provides a guideline for the development of referral resources for clients who require these services on a short term but intensive basis. THE GOALS OF THIS MINI-COURSE 1D: This 1-credit mini-course is a SUMMARY of a larger publication, which can be found at the URL provided on our website in the catalog, and as such, the GOALS of this mini-course are limited to obtaining an OVERVIEW of the major points which SAMHSA believes to be essential in assessing the relevance and appropriateness of - and setting up - an Intensive Outpatient Treatment program for persons with Substance Use Disorders. The GOALS are as follows: 1. Review the key elements and principles of the continuum of care for Substance Abuse treatment. 2. Know which services are effective and APPROPRIATE treatment approaches, in IOT programs. 3. Know which services are the 'Core and Enhanced Services' recommended by SAMHSA-CSAT 4. Consideration of entry, engagement, and treatment issues. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: SAMHSA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The article is published and accessed on the internet through the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC). The chair of the SAMHSA-CSAT work group which put this GUIDELINE together is Robert F. Forman, PhD (Chair), Clinical Scientist in Medical Affairs, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Formerly Senior Investigator, Treatment Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine). Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Course 1B - It's Not Your Grandpa's Chevy - Intro to Goals, Clinical Concerns, and Opportunities In Behavioral Health Managed Care

This is a FREE COURSE with a FREE CEU CERTIFICATE - 1 CREDIT HOUR. This free course is a quick introduction to our online quiz and certificate process. It's also an introduction to our 'SLIDE SHOW' course format. (Not all of our courses are in a slide show format; some are in a 'Quiz Only' format and some are in-house PDF documents. See FREE Course 1D, for a free introduction to our 'Quiz Only' course format.)

This mini-course provides a quick overview of the transition of Mental Health and AOD counseling to a MANAGED SYSTEM OF CARE .... which has gained renewed relevance with the expansion of Health Care Reform. It's important to understand that Care Management is not only a process; it's a PHILOSOPHY which approaches approval for behavioral health services in a whole new way, and requires justification which surpasses that which was required in the past

Understanding of the 'Care Management' approach is important for those delivering intensive treatment, as well as to those REFERRING TO intensive treatment, and to most individuals delivering short term counseling which is usually not considered to be "medical" in nature. The issue here, is that the APPROACH to authorization is essentially one of "medical necessity", even if what we are delivering is not "medical".

Our Managed Care series is applicable to all behavioral health providers - those in private practice who are participating in a "panel" or network, as well as those who work for a public or private agency involved in Medicare or Medicaid or Block Grant services or other such contracts - including the EAP provider, whose work is now often done under the auspices of a managed system of care, i.e., a contract manager.

The first half of this course focuses upon the impact that Health Care Reform and Managed Systems of Care have upon providers and their clients. The second half of this short course focuses upon "Understanding How Managed Care ‘Thinks’ . . . An Introduction to the Clinical and Therapeutic Issues Which Drive the Care Management Process".

GOALS OF COURSE 1B – ‘Intro to Goals, Clinical Concerns, and Opportunities In Behavioral Health Managed Care – It's Not Your Grandpa's Chevy’

1. Understanding the Scope and Impact of the Health Care Reform Movement Toward a Managed System of Care

2. Introduction to Clinical Concerns and Opportunities for Behavioral Health Professionals under a Managed System of Care

3. Understanding the Concept of Care Management and Utilization Review – It’s a 'Medical Model' - even if we are delivering short term counseling which is typically not considered to be "medical" in nature. It's important to understand that Care Management is a PHILOSOPHY which approaches approval for behavioral health services in a whole new way, and required justification from those who deliver services which surpasses that which was required in the past.

4. Identify Clinical Approaches and Intervention Programs Which Are Workable and Appropriate Under a Managed System of Care.

Course 5J - Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth

$24 - 5 Credit Hours. THIS IS A 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. Save it to your computer, and work off-line if you choose. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED 5 CEU CERTIFICATE.

And take a quick look at The QUIZ! (Click the little plus + sign below the GOALS at the end of this overview, and then scroll down to find the quiz link.) Our approach to quiz development makes reading through online publications 'do-able'. We accept PAYPAL and any regular credit or debit card.

This 5-credit hour 'QUIZ ONLY' treatment intervention and counseling methodology course focuses upon prevention of suicide among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) youth, ages 15-24, and awareness of the factors (including the internet) which contribute to LGBT suicide attempts and deaths in this age group.

The study materials are accessed free of charge through an internet link to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center/Education Development Center, Inc. in Newton, MA. The publication is a 'public domain' document and is funded by the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services.

The course is appropriate for Mental Health and AOD Counselors and Therapists, Social Workers, School Counselors and Psychologists, community workers and all individuals who serve adolescents and young adults - whether as clients or students or community members. IMPORTANT: The authors of this well researched and documented publication are clear that because any young person may be LGBT, we must assume that clients or students could be any sexual orientation or gender identity and respond accordingly.

NOTE: How is this course different from most of the courses available on the CEU By Net website? Most of the courses on our site are developed by CEU By Net, and you pay your fee to access the in-house course materials and the quiz. However, this is a 'QUIZ ONLY' course. The material for this course - and the quiz which we have developed to assess mastery of the materials - may be accessed FOR FREE on the internet, by clicking a link on our site. After reviewing the materials free of charge, you may pay the fee to take our online quiz and obtain your instant-download certificate. [We suggest that you print a copy of the quiz and mark your answers as you read through the materials. Then, click the 'SIGN UP NOW' button in the catalog, pay your fee, and take the online quiz. You can transfer your answers from the previously printed copy of the quiz, to the online quiz, if you like.

For additional information about the study materials - and to READ the online article and to PREVIEW AND PRINT a copy of the online quiz - JUST CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW THE 'GOALS' IN THIS SUMMARY, seen below.

THE GOALS, PER THE AUTHORS:

1. To highlight the higher risk of suicidal behavior among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, and factors that contribute to it. This higher risk may well extend to transgender (T) youth.

2. Provide specific recommendations for ACTION to reduce the risk of suicide among LGBT youth - to take place in schools, communities, screening programs, crisis lines, practices and gatekeeping clinics. 3. Provide methods to address stigma and prejudice at the institutional and individual level - including the use of an LGBT Cultural Competence Model for working effectively with LGBT youth cultures.

4. Provide an understanding of the role of the internet as it may provoke and contribute to suicide of LGBT youth, as well as the positive ways that the internet may contribute to prevention of such suicides.

5. Heighten awareness of the issues of LGBT youth, and the recent advances in research regarding such youth.

6. Help not only to reduce the disparate rate of suicidal behavior of LGBT youth but to promote the health, safety, and inclusion of LGBT youth as visible and empowered members of our communities.

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

Course 5J - Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth

This PDF document - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: Identification and Intervention - may be viewed and printed for FREE. TO VIEW THE COURSE MATERIALS, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW. YOU MAY ALSO VIEW AND PRINT A COPY OF THE QUIZ FOR FREE - JUST CLICK THE LINK. THE GOALS, PER THE AUTHORS: 1. To highlight the higher risk of suicidal behavior among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, and factors that contribute to it. This higher risk may well extend to transgender (T) youth. 2. Provide specific recommendations for ACTION to reduce the risk of suicide among LGBT youth - to take place in schools, communities, screening programs, crisis lines, practices and gatekeeping clinics. 3. Provide methods to address stigma and prejudice at the institutional and individual level - including the use of an LGBT Cultural Competence Model for working effectively with LGBT youth cultures. 4. Provide an understanding of the role of the internet as it may provoke and contribute to suicide of LGBT youth, as well as the positive ways that the internet may contribute to prevention of such suicides. 5. Heighten awareness of the issues of LGBT youth, and the recent advances in research regarding such youth. 6. Help not only to reduce the disparate rate of suicidal behavior of LGBT youth but to promote the health, safety, and inclusion of LGBT youth as visible and empowered members of our communities. This paper was published in 2008 by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc.- and it was written by Effie Malley, Marc Posner, and Lloyd Potter with editorial and reference assistance provided by Lori Bradshaw and additional staff of the national Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Course 4J - Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual

This 4-credit hour course on 'Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual' - is appropriate for Mental Health, AOD, and Dual Diagnosis treatment and counseling providers and School Psychologists, including any professional who works with Anger Management issues or Domestic Violence. This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, and the Florida Office of School Psychology, for 4 credits in DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTINUING EDUCATION. EAP providers may wish to utilize these interventions for clients on a short term basis in order to help affected individuals - whether they be the perpetrator or the receiver of uncontrolled anger or abuse. In EAP situations, referral on to longer term treatment may be needed, as indicated.

This is a 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. Save it to your computer, and study the publication off-line if you choose. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED 4 CREDIT HOUR CEU CERTIFICATE. We accept PAYPAL and any regular credit or debit card.

This 4-credit hour course is accessed free of charge through an internet link to the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). The publication is in the public domain and is authored by Patrick M. Reilly, Ph.D. and Michael S. Shopshire, Ph.D. of the San Francisco Treatment Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Sharon Hall, Ph.D., was the Treatment Research Center’s Principal Investigator.

INTRODUCTION FROM THE PUBLISHERS: 'Despite the connection of anger and violence to substance abuse, few treatments have been developed to address anger and violence problems among people who abuse substances. To provide clinicians with tools to help deal with this important issue, [we are] pleased to present Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual ..... The anger management treatment design in this manual, which has been delivered to hundreds of clients over the past 8 years, has been popular with both clinicians and clients. This treatment design can be used in a variety of clinical settings and will be beneficial to the field.'

For more details of the publication including GOALS, and to access both the course material and the quiz FOR FREE, please click the little + sign below, to expand the section.

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

Course 4J - Anger Management: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual

This 4-credit hour course on 'Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual' - is a 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. The course material is accessed free of charge through an internet link to the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. This is DHHS Publication No. 07-4008, originally printed in 2002, and republished in 2007. IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a Participant Workbook which is for use by group members, which provides group members with a summary of the information presented in each session. You may find and print the Participant Workbook at this web address: http://kap.samhsa.gov/products/manuals/pdfs/anger2.pdf - it's FREE, and may be freely reprinted for use by your clients. GOALS AND FOCUS OF THIS COURSE: The approach used in the intervention model described in this manual is a combined CBT approach that employs relaxation, cognitive, and communication skills interventions. The Goals .... Readers learn the four types of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions most often used when working with anger disorders, and how to implement them, particularly in the context of anger which becomes abusive and violent toward spouses and other family members, co-workers, and friends. EAP providers may wish to utilize these interventions for clients on a short term basis in order to help affected individuals - whether they be the perpetrator or the receiver of uncontrolled anger or abuse. In EAP situations, referral on to longer term treatment may be needed, as indicated. Goals for learning: : 1. Relaxation interventions, which target emotional and physiological components of anger 2. Cognitive interventions, which target cognitive processes such as hostile appraisals and attributions, irrational beliefs, and inflammatory thinking 3. Communication skills interventions, which target deficits in assertiveness and conflict resolution skills 4. Combined interventions, which integrate two or more CBT interventions and target multiple response domains. This combined approach presents participating clients with options that draw on these different interventions and then encourages them to develop individualized anger control plans using as many of the techniques as possible. NOTE: This is an online PDF document, which can be opened and read with Adobe Reader and possibly other pdf readers. You may need to download (save) this document to your computer in order to open it, depending upon your operating system and browser settings. To do that, with your browser window showing the URL for the document, click FILE, and then SAVE AS, and place the document in the desired directory or sub-directory folder of your computer or laptop or an external device (e.g., a memory stick), etc.. Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Course 2F - Personality Disorders in Patients With HIV/AIDS

$18 - 2 Credit Hours. THIS IS A 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. Save it to your computer, and work off-line if you choose. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED 2 CEU CERTIFICATE. We accept PAYPAL and any regular credit or debit card.

This 2 credit hour online course focuses upon ASSESSMENT AND THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION WITH individuals who have HIV/AIDS and a CONCURRENT PERSONALITY DISORDER. The course materials are accessed free of charge through an internet link to the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute’s Clinical Guidelines Development Program, The HIV Clinical Education Initiative (CEI).

The course is appropriate for AOD-SA-CD Counselors, Rehab Specialists, LPCs and other licensed counselors, Social Workers, and other treatment providers.

This publication is authored and published in the public domain by the AIDS Institute's Office of the Medical Director, in collaboration with The Johns Hopkins University, Division of Infectious Diseases. The AIDS Institute's Clinical Guidelines Program directly oversees the development, publication, dissemination and implementation of clinical practice guidelines addressing the management of adults, adolescents, and children with HIV infection.

About this publication, quoting the authors: "Patients with personality disorders often present challenging therapeutic situations ... Personality disorders among patients infected with HIV are associated with a higher rate of depression, maladaptive coping, and other psychiatric symptoms ....This chapter focuses on the fixed patterns of behavior and interpersonal relationships that characterize personality disorders, particularly the ways in which these behaviors impact medical care. Because interaction with others can be challenging for patients with personality disorders, they may be averse to medical treatment. Patients with personality disorders may want care but may not know how to accept it. .... Clinicians can interact with these patients effectively with a plan that focuses on support between the patient and the care team."

For additional information about the study materials - and to READ the online article and to PREVIEW AND PRINT a copy of the online quiz - JUST CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW THE 'GOALS' IN THIS SUMMARY, seen below.


NOTE: How is this course different from most of the courses available on the CEU By Net website? Most of the courses on our site are developed by CEU By Net, and you pay your fee to access the in-house course materials and the quiz. However, this is a 'QUIZ ONLY' course. The material for this course - and the quiz which we have developed to assess mastery of the materials - may be accessed FOR FREE on the internet, by clicking a link on our site. After reviewing the materials free of charge, you may pay the fee to take our online quiz and obtain your instant-download certificate. [We suggest that you print a copy of the quiz and mark your answers as you read through the materials. Then, click the 'SIGN UP NOW' button in the catalog, pay your fee, and take the online quiz. You can transfer your answers from the previously printed copy of the quiz, to the online quiz.]

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

Course 2F - Personality Disorders in Patients With HIV/AIDS

The following areas are addressed in this very practical, to the point publication - which emphasizes strategic teamwork and clinical consistency to effectively manage difficult clients/patients in an HIV/AIDS clinic setting: I. INTRODUCTION: Key Point: HIV-infected patients who present with maladaptive personality traits and behaviors may have other causative or co-occurring medical, mental health, and/or social disorders that require intervention. In addition, some patients with severe personality disorders may have styles of interaction that could foster conflict among patients, clinicians, and other staff. A team approach that relies on supportive, effective communication among everyone involved in the patient’s treatment is essential. II. DEFINITION OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS III. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS FOR PERSONALITY DISORDERS A. Patients Who Are Victims of Domestic Violence B. Patients With Low or Borderline Intelligence IV. MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH PERSONALITY DISORDERS: Key Point: The diagnosis of a specific personality disorder may not be as important as identifying and focusing on specific personality traits that make treatment planning and provision of health care difficult. The medical staff’s principal objective should be to help patients maximize health-oriented behaviors. A. General Approach to Patients With Personality Disorders 1. Effective Communication 2. Interdisciplinary Team 3. Developing a Treatment Plan 4. Educating Support Staff B. Approach to Specific Patient Types 1. Odd or Eccentric Patients 2. Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic Patients 3. Anxious or Fearful Patients C. Structured Approach to Treatment of Personality Disorders - Key Point: Although long-term intensive, individual psychotherapy is necessary for fundamental, lasting change in patients’ personalities, briefer psychotherapies may help patients modify their maladaptive behaviors. REFERENCES FURTHER READING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

AOD Course 5H - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: Identification and Intervention with Families and Couples

$24 - 5 Credit Hours. THIS IS A 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling for 5 credits in DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTINUING EDUCATION. Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. Save it to your computer, and work off-line if you choose. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED 5 CEU CERTIFICATE. We accept PAYPAL and any regular credit or debit card.

This 5-credit hour AOD Treatment Intervention and Counseling Methodology course is accessed free of charge through an internet link to the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAAA), an agency of the National Institute of Health (NIH). The course is appropriate for Marriage and Family Therapists, licensed counselors, Social Workers, and AOD treatment providers who ASSESS and TREAT or REFER clients with PRIMARY OR SECONDARY ALCOHOL PROBLEMS. The document contains an EXTENSIVE SET OF AOD ASSESSMENT FORMS which may be printed from your computer and used in your practice, without charge.

NOTE: How is this course different from most of the courses available on the CEU By Net website? Most of the courses on our site are developed by CEU By Net, and you pay your fee to access the in-house course materials and the quiz. However, this is a 'QUIZ ONLY' course. The material for this course - and the quiz which we have developed to assess mastery of the materials - may be accessed FOR FREE on the internet, by clicking a link on our site. After reviewing the materials free of charge, you may pay the fee to take our online quiz and obtain your instant-download certificate. [We suggest that you print a copy of the quiz and mark your answers as you read through the materials. Then, click the 'SIGN UP NOW' button in the catalog, pay your fee, and take the online quiz. You can transfer your answers from the previously printed copy of the quiz, to the online quiz, if you like.]

For additional information about the study materials - and to READ the online article and to PREVIEW AND PRINT a copy of the online quiz - JUST CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW THE 'GOALS' IN THIS SUMMARY, seen below.

THE GOALS, PER THE AUTHORS:

1. Introduce an “alcohol problems framework” and its implications for alcohol treatment and intervention.

2. Provide background information on defining characteristics and prevalence of a range of alcohol problems, including marital discord and domestic violence. 3. Describe the significance of alcohol problems in the couple and family context. .

3. Describe the significance of alcohol problems in the couple and family context.

4. Encourage adoption of a universal screening procedure in your practice for quick and efficient identification of undetected alcohol problems.

5. Provide a “Clinical Toolbox” to conduct effective screenings and assessments of alcohol problems.

6. Help to decide whether to treat, when to treat, and how to select an appropriate intervention including intervention to protect spouse and children from abuse and domestic violence.

7. Teach the essentials of providing brief interventions for alcohol problems.

8. Examine a range of treatment alternatives and discuss the factors to consider in choosing a treatment strategy or making a referral.

9. Provide a number of resources that will help to utilize the various treatment strategies available or make a referral to specialty treatment alternatives when appropriate.

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

AOD Course 5H - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships - Study Guide Link

This PDF document - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: Identification and Intervention - may be viewed and printed for FREE. TO VIEW THE COURSE MATERIALS, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW. YOU MAY ALSO VIEW AND PRINT A COPY OF THE QUIZ FOR FREE - JUST CLICK THE LINK. This study material is a current publication of the NIAAA and the National Institute of Health, within the public domain, intended for education and training purposes. The document contains an EXTENSIVE SET OF AOD ASSESSMENT FORMS which may be printed from your computer and used in your practice, without charge. NOTE: NOTE: The emphasis in this course is upon counseling with individuals in family or couples therapy who engage in PROBLEM DRINKING and RISKY DRINKING, neither of which don't necessarily meet the criteria for an alcohol dependency diagnosis. The AUTHORS MAKE THE POINT that when it is clear that a primary alcohol problem is present, referral of the client(s) for diagnosis, treatment, and assistance should be done – and we must ensure that case monitoring and follow-up services occurs. This open-access study material presents a clear, structured approach to ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT of alcohol-related issues within relationships and families - including multiple standardized and empirically validated ASSESSMENT FORMS which may be printed on your computer for personal use. Quoting the authors: "When someone experiences alcohol problems, the negative effects of drinking exert a toll, not only on the drinker, but also on their partner and other family members. Recent data suggest that approximately one child in every four (28.6%) in the United States is exposed to alcohol abuse or dependence in the family. One of the clearest demonstrations of how alcohol use negatively impacts the family is the widely documented association between alcohol use and interpersonal violence. Family problems that are likely to co-occur with alcohol problems include ... - Domestic violence - Marital conflict - Infidelity - Jealousy - Economic insecurity - Divorce - Fetal alcohol effect ... " Also quoting the authors: "Drinking problems may negatively alter marital and family functioning, but there also is evidence that they can increase as a consequence of marital and family problems. Thus, drinking and family functioning are strongly and reciprocally linked. Not surprisingly, alcohol problems are common in couples that present for marital therapy, and marital problems are common in drinkers who present for alcohol treatment." The NIAAA acknowledges William F. Northey, Jr., Ph.D., of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) for "acting as the catalyst for this partnership, and for his wisdom in sharing with us the results of an AAMFT/CSAT survey that revealed 84%-88% of marriage and family therapists treat clients with primary or secondary alcohol problems." TO VIEW THE COURSE (IT'S FREE) CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW. AND YOU MAY VIEW AND PRINT THE QUIZ FOR FREE ALSO - JUST CLICK THE LINK. Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Course 3B - The Big Transition in the AOD Field: Assessment and Documentation of ‘Need for Treatment’ and 'Treatment Interventions' - How They've Changed!

$23.00 - [3 CREDIT HOURS] 3 Credit hours. In most states, it's goodbye to flexible addiction Block Grants and other 'open access' State contracts for substance abuse and chemical dependency – which makes access to AOD services even more difficult. This course addresses the 'nitty gritty' of the major CHANGES in SA-CD programs – referral criteria, treatments and interventions available, documentation of need for treatment and response, and philosophy – due to the new health care reform environment. Applies to single AOD diagnosis and to Dual MH-AOD diagnoses.

This course is appropriate for chemical dependency counselors, social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, case managers, rehabilitation workers, EAP providers, school psychologists and counselors, , and others who work with persons who have AOD issues which need assessment, treatment, or referral for same.

FOR EAP COUNSELORS who may or may not be delivering the actual AOD treatment for their clients (in many programs, you will be referring and ensuring continuity rather than treating), it is nevertheless critical that you document your client’s need for treatment in the same thorough and clinically acceptable way that the treatment program must do. Otherwise, the insurance company or other behavioral health administrator will focus upon the disparity in the EAP record vs. the treatment record, and approval for services may then be at risk.

Offers a bird's eye view of how ASSESSMENT of the client's NEED FOR TREATMENT must be documented to secure an authorization, and HOW the treatment or interventions must be delivered and documented under managed systems of care ..... and how to CONSTRUCTIVELY ADAPT to these changes when it's ethically possible.

This course includes material on the following:

1. the BACKGROUND of why treatment approach and documentation of need for treatment have changed so significantly in the AOD field.

2. understanding how HMOs, BHOs, MCOs, self-insured companies, EAP provider companies, state operated plans such as Medicaid, and commercial insurance companies (i.e., managed care contractors) THINK about WHO needs treatment and WHAT kind of treatment they need ..... in other words, what are the new criteria for establishing the need for treatment, and how can we accommodate to it?

3. the role that assessment and treatment DOCUMENTATION play in obtaining and maintaining treatment authorization and funding for our clients, and learn the four KEY CONCEPTS in authorization and documentation of assessment and treatment.

4. how AOD treatment and intervention programs and individual service plans are designed, within the new health care reform environment …. and what will likely be approved by the contractor ….. and what type of programs will get the OUTCOME results that insurance carriers and state programs are looking for.

Course 3B presents some specialized treatment and case management scenarios which can be discussed with an MCO or other contractor for services, which can provide effective services and treatment to recidivistic AOD clients, under a 'Care Management' system.

Also provides an understanding of HOW the health care contractors make those controversial treatment DECISIONS for substance abusing and chemically dependent individuals - and HOW TO ASK for 'WHAT' in terms of services and/or referral for your clients with AOD issues. Maximize your client’s chances of getting what he or she actually needs, based upon competent assessment in a new health care environment.

For EAP workers who may or may not be delivering the actual AOD treatment for their clients (in many programs, you will be referring and ensuring continuity rather than treating), it is nevertheless critical that you document your client’s need for treatment in the same thorough and clinically acceptable way that the treatment program must do. Otherwise, the insurance company or other behavioral health administrator will focus upon the disparity in the EAP record vs. the treatment record, and approval for services may then be at risk.

We also present clear 1-2-3 guidance on how to DOCUMENT both your assessment and the services you deliver under a managed system of care – and an introduction to RECOUPMENT of funds already paid to you (which typically occurs due to inadequate DOCUMENTATION OF SERVICES in client records). The course explains how to AUDIT your own professional documentation, so that it fits in well with the new CARE MANAGEMENT or Utilization Review (UR) process.

Some material in this course is included in MiniCourses 1B and 1C and elsewhere, but this course does it from the AOD perspective.

THE GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

The goals of Course 3B focus upon managing change within the traditional chemical and substance dependency culture under managed systems of care, i.e., understanding how it affects our interpretation of ‘need for treatment’ and our interventions to promote sobriety.

1. Understanding the New Managed Care Treatment Contracts and How They Affect Us and Our Clients.

2. The Essential Clinical Shifts Imposed Upon the CD Treatment Professional and Traditional CD Programming, Under a Care Management System

3. Changing Expectations for Documentation in Service Records.

4. Know Some Workable and Creative Service Options Which CD Treatment Professionals May Negotiate with Health Care Contractors, Given the Provider’s Greater Autonomy In Referral and Treatment Decisions.

Ethics 2D - Advance Directives: Assisting with Plans for End of Life Care

$18 [2 Credit Hours] - This 2-credit hour ETHICS and COUNSELING INTERVENTION course is a 'QUIZ ONLY' course. Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE, study off-line if you like, and take the quiz online. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE ONLINE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED 2 CEU CERTIFICATE.

The publication is accessed free of charge online, through a link to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website.

This course - Advance Directives: Assisting with Plans for End of Life Care - awards 2 ETHICS credits, and is also a 2-credit COUNSELING INTERVENTION COURSE. The material is applicable for those who work with the elderly and all ages of seriously ill individuals and their families, in a variety of situations (e.g., burn units, pediatric critical care units, acute care facilities, nursing facilities serving Alzheimer's and stroke patients, outpatient settings which serve those with CHF, renal failure, cancer, AIDS, etc.). Also, those who work with HEALTHY individuals who might need to make End of Life decisions (perhaps due to work in life-threatening situations including MILITARY deployment to war zones or for other reasons).

The AHRQ is an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services. This free internet-accessible publication is authored by Barbara L. Kass-Bartelmes, M.P.H., C.H.E.S., and Ronda Hughes, Ph.D.

NOTE: How is this course different from most of the courses available on the CEU By Net website? Most of the courses on our site are developed by CEU By Net, and you pay your fee to access the in-house course materials and the quiz. However, this is a 'QUIZ ONLY' course. The material for this course - and the quiz which we have developed to assess mastery of the materials - may be accessed FOR FREE on the internet, by clicking a link on our site. After reviewing the materials free of charge, you may pay the fee to take our online quiz and obtain your instant-download certificate. [We suggest that you print a copy of the quiz and mark your answers as you read through the materials. Then, click the 'SIGN UP NOW' button in the catalog, pay your fee, and take the online quiz. You can transfer your answers from the previously printed copy of the quiz, to the online quiz, if you like.]

For some additional information about the materials - and to READ the online article and to PREVIEW AND PRINT a copy of the online quiz - JUST CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW THIS SUMMARY.


GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

1. Learn terms that should be understood related to individuals' LEGAL RIGHT to make End of Life Care Decisions.

2. Awareness of the research-verified need for more effective Advance Directives (end of life care planning), and differentiation between the categories of individuals for whom Advance Directives are an issue.

3. Understanding of the BENEFITS of addressing end of life preferences with persons who are terminally ill or are in a life threatening situation, as well as with their surrogates (family or representatives).

4. Learn a five-part, research-supported PROCESS for structuring discussions about end-of-life preferences, which inherently supports our ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY for assuring the welfare and legal rights of the client.

5. Based upon research findings, understand the FACTORS which typically affect individuals' choices about End of Life Care in various situations - thus enhancing ability to ETHICALLY GUIDE DISCUSSIONS about end of life care.

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

Ethics 2D - Advance Directives: Assisting with Plans for End of Life Care

The AHRQ includes this document in its search list of publications which deal with the ETHICS of healthcare, and states that, "This research can help providers offer end-of-life care based on preferences held by the majority of patients under similar circumstances." CEU By Net has included this material in our ETHICS section because helping patients and families to make choices regarding END OF LIFE CARE is a potentially vulnerable area of PROFESSIONAL ETHICALITY. Such activity falls within the area of Professional Ethics generally referred to as CLIENT WELFARE .... including the elements of 'Acting in the Best Interest of the Client' and 'Informed Consent'. These activities also involve PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES, in terms of differentiating between our desires for a client at the end of life, and the client's own preferences. Materials such as this study published by the AHRQ also serve to enhance and support Professional Competence and SCOPE OF PRACTICE, for those who have responsibilities involving Advance Directives. The information contained herein serves as a ‘KNOWLEDGE FRAMEWORK’ for behavioral health practitioners in the area of assisting their clients/patients with ADVANCE DIRECTIVES or LIVING WILLS. Such research-based knowledge is important to ensure that we understand ETHICALLY APPROPRIATE ways to assist clients and family members or representatives with this important activity. Such knowledge also helps to protect practitioners from being the focus of disciplinary action and legal complications. This research study and resulting clinical guidelines focus upon how health care professionals can assess the preferences of their clients/patients for end of life care, and can assist them THROUGH GUIDED DISCUSSIONS to make their desires and plans known through a Living Will or Advance Directive. Clients/Patients may be residents of nursing facilities, hospitals, hospice, or any other location where end of life is an issue - including those still living at home who have chronic diseases such as cancer and AIDS, where there is considerable uncertainty about when death is likely to occur. The materials help to differentiate between the categories of individuals for whom Advance Directives are an issue, and the differences in approach depending upon the situation, e.g., AIDS vs Cancer vs Stroke vs. Alzheimer's, etc.. EDITORIAL COMMENTS: CEU By Net believes that Advance Directives are logically a subject of discussion with individuals who are members of the armed services, in high risk battlefield situations. We also know from our own experiences, that many or most of the discussion-related tasks that are mentioned in this research study as being "performed by the physician", are IN FACT PERFORMED BY a Social Worker, a Substance Abuse Professional (particularly working with AIDS patients), Chaplin, Pastoral Counselor or other Professional Counselor. And indeed, the authors state that the physician may wish to refer the patient to a social worker or clergy or other educational sources, to discuss his or her concerns and questions. REVIEW OF THE FOCUS AND GOALS FOR STUDY OF THIS MATERIAL: 1. Learn terms that should be understood related to individuals' LEGAL RIGHT to make End of Life Care Decisions. 2. Awareness of the research-verified need for more effective Advance Directives (end of life care planning), and differentiation between the categories of individuals for whom Advance Directives are an issue. 3. Understanding of the BENEFITS of addressing end of life preferences with persons who are terminally ill or are in a life threatening situation, as well as with their surrogates (family or representatives). 4. Learn a five-part, research-supported PROCESS for structuring discussions about end-of-life preferences, which inherently supports our ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY for assuring the welfare and legal rights of the client. 5. Based upon research findings, understand the FACTORS which typically affect individuals' choices about End of Life Care in various situations - thus enhancing ability to ETHICALLY GUIDE DISCUSSIONS of end of life care. This publication is dated 2003. However, the AHRQ considers this document to be nevertheless highly relevant to the subject at hand, when compared to other documents available within their research library and available elsewhere on the internet. This article is listed 3rd on the list of 261 AHRQ publications on this topic, and the last date that it was reviewed and cataloged was on May 6, 2010. Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Ethics 4D - When Insurance and State Contracts Are Paying the Bill – The Ethics of Treatment Documentation and Other Ethical Dilemmas in Today’s World.

$28.00 - A Four (4) Credit Hour Ethics Course Approved/Accepted for Professional Counselors, MFTs, Social Workers, Substance Abuse Counselors, EAP providers, and other behavioral health practitioners in ALMOST EVERY STATE.

Ethics 4D is a fast-paced SLIDESHOW with content that's easy to understand and never boring - regarding the ETHICAL DILEMMAS (and pressures) encountered on a daily basis by those whose clients' fees or services are paid by insurance, managed care, Employee Assistance Programs, self-insured companies, or other closely monitored state or local contracts.

NOTE: Ethics 4D contains the same core material as the 3 credit-hour Ethics Course 3D, except that 4D includes additional material regarding these ethical issues.

This course is a close-up view of that sticky issue ... what to write (and not write) in a client's treatment record, from an ETHICS perspective, in this new era of tightly controlled health care costs. How much do you divulge about your ASSESSMENT of the client's DIAGNOSIS(ES), his prognosis, his functional status, and his response to treatment? What's ETHICAL - when the payor is demanding details? What's NECESSARY?

Is such scrutiny legitimate and ethical, or is it an invasion of your (and your client's) privacy? And is it ethical to provide the requested information? Do most states’ licensure standards SUPPORT - or OVERRULE - this type of documentation of a client's treatment information? The answer may surprise you.

SUMMARY OF GOALS:

1. Understand the ETHICAL AND PRACTICAL impact of CARE MANAGEMENT upon WHO gets treatment or related services, WHAT treatments and related services they may receive, and HOW MUCH of each intervention is allowed.

2. Identify the ETHICAL ISSUES faced by providers due to this new approach to authorization - in both the delivery of treatment or related services AND in the DOCUMENTATION of the ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, and RESPONSE TO TREATMENT OR INTERVENTION.

3. Learn how we can ETHICALLY accommodate these new service and documentation requirements, while simultaneously meeting the requirements of our Provider Agreements.

4. Identify additional ETHICAL DILEMMAS encountered in assessment and treatment of mental health and substance abuse clients, including the ethics of the Quality Management - Treatment Effectiveness scrutiny which HMOs and other such contract managers place upon the work we do. Is it ETHICAL activity, or is it invasive?

[Want to watch a short Ethics COURSE DEMO, with material from Ethics 4D and 3D? Click the Ethics Course Preview here.]

Ethics 3D - When Insurance and State Contracts Are Paying the Bill – The Ethics of Treatment Documentation in Today’s World.

$24.00 - A Three (3) Credit Hour Ethics Course Approved/Accepted for Professional Counselors, MFTs, Social Workers, Substance Abuse Counselors, EAP providers, and other behavioral health practitioners in ALMOST EVERY STATE.

Ethics 3D is a fast-paced SLIDESHOW with content that's easy to understand and never boring - regarding the ETHICAL DILEMMAS (and PRESSURES) encountered on a daily basis by those whose clients' fees or services are paid by insurance, managed care, Employee Assistance Programs, self-insured companies, or other closely monitored state or local contracts.

NOTE: Ethics 3D contains the same core material as the 4 credit-hour Ethics Course 4D, except that 4D includes additional material regarding these ethical issues.

This course is a close-up view of that sticky issue ... what to write (and not write) in a client's treatment record, from an ETHICS perspective, in this new era of tightly controlled health care costs. How much do you divulge about your ASSESSMENT of the client's DIAGNOSIS(ES), his prognosis, his functional status, and his response to treatment? What's ETHICAL - when the payor is demanding details? What's NECESSARY?

Is such scrutiny legitimate and ethical, or is it an invasion of your (and your client's) privacy? And is it ethical to provide the requested information? Do most states’ licensure standards SUPPORT - or OVERRULE - this type of documentation of a client's treatment information? The answer may surprise you.

SUMMARY OF GOALS:

1. Understand the ETHICAL AND PRACTICAL impact of CARE MANAGEMENT upon WHO gets treatment or related services, WHAT treatments and related services they may receive, and HOW MUCH of each intervention is allowed.

2. Identify the ETHICAL ISSUES faced by providers due to this new approach to authorization - in both the delivery of treatment or related services AND in the DOCUMENTATION of the ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, and RESPONSE TO TREATMENT OR INTERVENTION.

3. Learn how we can ETHICALLY accommodate these new service and documentation requirements, while simultaneously meeting the requirements of our Provider Agreements.

Course 4H - Psychotherapeutic Medications: What Every Counselor Should Know

This 4-credit hour course on 'Psychotherapeutic Medications - What Every Counselor Should Know' - is appropriate for Mental Health, AOD, and Dual Diagnosis service providers regardless of treatment or service delivery setting or licensure status (and including unlicensed Case Managers).

This is a 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. Save it to your computer, and work off-line if you choose. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED 4 CREDIT HOUR CEU CERTIFICATE. We accept PAYPAL and any regular credit or debit card.

This 4-credit hour course is accessed free of charge through an internet link to the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center (MA-ATTC), a Regional Center of the National Office of ATTC - part of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Say the authors: "This publication is designed as a quick 'desk reference' for substance abuse and mental health treatment providers. It is not intended to be used as a complete reference for psychotherapeutic medications." However, there is a comprehensive INDEX to current information about generic and brand name medication for each of the major psychotherapeutic and addiction treatment medication categories.

There are dedicated sections in the appendix of the publication which provide guidance in communicating with physicians who are prescribing psychotherapeutic medications to your clients, and step by step approaches to talking with clients about their medication regimen. There are also specific approaches to working with clients about cessation of smoking - both those who wish to quit and those who are unwilling.

NOTE: How is this course different from most of the courses available on the CEU By Net website? Most of the courses on our site are developed by CEU By Net, and you pay your fee to access the in-house course materials and the quiz. However, this is a 'QUIZ ONLY' course. The material for this course - and the quiz which we have developed to assess mastery of the materials - may be accessed FOR FREE on the internet, by clicking a link on our site. After reviewing the materials free of charge, you may pay the fee to take our online quiz and obtain your instant-download certificate. [We suggest that you print a copy of the quiz and mark your answers as you read through the materials. Then, click the 'SIGN UP NOW' button in the catalog, pay your fee (or use your Annual Subscription), and take the online quiz. You can transfer your answers from the previously printed copy of the quiz, to the online quiz, if you like.]

For additional information about the study materials including Goals of the Course - and to READ and PRINT the online article, and to PREVIEW AND PRINT a copy of the online quiz - JUST CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW.

Note: This course contains a link to study material available on the internet, rather than study guides on this web site. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. When you have studied the material and reviewed the quiz, you can come back to this site to take the quiz ONLINE and instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a PREVIEW of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

Course 4H - Psychotherapeutic Medications: What Every Counselor Should Know

This is the 7th Edition of this document, originally developed in 2000, revised in 2008, and currently reviewed. It is a featured resource and training publication of the federal Office of SAMHSA-CSAT, for mastery of this subject matter. The major sections within this document - and inherently the GOALS OF THE COURSE - target knowledge about the following: - Usage and Emergency Conditions and Cautions FOR EACH of the medication categories below: • Addiction Treatment Medications for Alcohol, Tobacco, and other drugs – i.e., Alcohol withdrawal agents, Alcohol relapse prevention agents, Opioid withdrawal agents, Opioid maintenance agents, Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT), Pharmacotherapies for Smoking Cessation, Stimulant Withdrawal and Relapse Prevention, Club Drugs and Marijuana. • Antipsychotics/Neuroleptics • Antiparkinsonian Medications • Antimanic Medications • Antidepressant Medications • Antianxiety Medications • Stimulant Medications • Narcotic and Opioid Analgesics • Hypnotics • Addiction Treatment Medications NOTE: There is a comprehensive INDEX to current information about generic and brand name medication for each of the medication categories listed above. And there are detailed 'HOW TO' guides for providers containing SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES to use with clients around the following issues: - Talking with Clients about Their Psychotherapeutic Medications - Brief Counselor Strategies for Tobacco Users—the Five A’s - Brief Counselor Strategies for Tobacco Users Unwilling to Quit—the Five R’s Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Course 3C - Beyond the Yellow Legal Pad! Biopsychosocial and Risk Assessment of CD and MH Minors

$24.00 - [3 Credit Hours] THIS IS A PDF DOCUMENT which can be viewed with Adobe Reader or any other pdf reader program.

Move 'beyond the yellow legal pad' when assessing and diagnosing children and adolescents with CD-SA and Mental Health issues. Protect yourself from legal vulnerability, through documented competent assessment and treatment planning, particularly when working with children and adolescents who present a potential for harm to self or others. NOTE: The basic assessment principles in this course apply to adult clients as well as to youth - including in particular the PROCESS OF RISK ASSESSMENT.

Assessment Course 3C addresses serious assessment ERRORS to avoid, which can result in LEGAL complications and PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY issues. Understand the implications of erroneous or ignored DIAGNOSIS and failure to respond to regression or failure to progress.

The course presents a structured, 1-2-3 approach to Mental Health and Substance Abuse (AOD) Assessment of minor clients - emphasizing and demonstrating the features of assessment which facilitate a CORRECT DIAGNOSIS and APPROPRIATE TREATMENT PLANNING. It comes with a FREE DOWNLOADABLE ASSESSMENT FORMAT! Includes critical assessment and diagnostic ERRORS to avoid which can result in legal complications and professional liability issues.

Also includes a structured approach to RISK ASSESSMENT of a child or adolescent - including a short, easy-to-use FREE downloadable Risk Assessment Form.

GOALS of COURSE:

1. Learning which omissions and errors in Biopsychosocial Assessment of Children and Adolescents can leave the assessor vulnerable to legal liability in the event of an adverse treatment outcome.

2. Understanding how inadvertent omissions can adversely impact the correctness of diagnosis and the details of the treatment plan.

3. Learning to spot your own flawed documentation patterns which lead to audit woes and legal problems.

4. The details of competent ‘Assessment of Acute Risk’ with children and adolescents.


And, for you TEXAS professionals, the course and the assessment content FULLY SUPPORT YOUR TEXAS' TDSHS UA requests for children and adolescents. Be documented beyond question in that child's chart!

Get FREE Downloadable Forms which you can tailor to your own needs if you have software to modify pdf documents.

NOTE: This course is a PDF DOCUMENT (Acrobat Reader) - not a slide show like some of our other courses.

View the quiz now, for FREE, by clicking HERE.

You can print the quiz before you begin to view the course materials - mark answers as you move through the document - and then pass the online quiz on the first try.

Course 2B - 'They're Coming to Audit WHEN?' - a.k.a, 'What Can Go WRONG in That Chart?'

$17.50 - [2 CREDIT HOURS] Want to pass that TREATMENT RECORD AUDIT? Want to avoid RECOUPMENT of claims payments already paid to you, when the MCO calls for a client's record, or their auditors show up at your door? Here's how! This fast-paced slide show clearly describes 'what's DIFFERENT' about how we must DOCUMENT TREATMENT in MH and CD/AOD client records today, under the new behavioral health contracts. And we give you useful and do-able tips on how to audit your own records - so that you are ready BEFORE the MCO or State auditor arrives.

For example, we tell you how to avoid 12 deadly 'documentation syndromes' which will sabotage even the best clinicians working within the new Behavioral Health Care Reform initiative .... including The ‘POORLY DOCUMENTED LEVEL OF CARE’ Syndrome, The ‘ZOMBIE CLIENT’ Syndrome, The ‘PERPETUAL CARE’ Syndrome, The ‘ANY-PATIENT ITP’ Syndrome, The ‘FAILURE TO MODIFY’ Syndrome, and several more.

This valuable course also provides a clear explanation about HOW managed care contract administrators make pre-authorization decisions to approve or deny your requests for treatment .... and WHAT you must write in the client's chart to support that authorization.

Course 2C - Intro to Professional & Clinical Issues in Managed Care - Necessary Shifts in Program Design and Treatment Approach

$17.50 - [2 Credit Hours] For Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Treatment Providers. Some of this course's material overlaps 2B material (related to managed care goals, how managed care companies THINK, and how we have to change what we write in treatment records) . . . but then the course moves ahead to include professional, clinical, and programmatic CHANGES in store for professionals who are working under a Managed Care Provider Agreement.

GOALS:

1. Overview of basic goals of managed care -- 'Why Are They Doing This To Us?'

2. Understanding The Impact Of The New Healthcare Industry Goals Upon Us (The Providers) and Our Clients.

3. How To Think Like A Managed Care Company Or Care Management Organization (It's Essential For Survival) – Understanding What Drives Those 'Level Of Care' (LOC) Decisions!

4. How the Insurance Company or Plan Administrator’s RISK Affects Providers In Their Professional Operations -- The Positives, The Challenges, and Examples Of Creative Service and Treatment Approaches.

5. Provider Networks As A Way To Survive The Shifts – Referral and Sharing the Task of Service Delivery
Are you interested in this material, but want more credits than this course offers? Some of this material appears in MiniCourse 3A (3 credit hours total), and in FlexiCourse 5A (5 credit hours), and FlexiCourse 10A (10 credit hours).

Course 3A - Managed Care - Is There Anything GOOD About It? a.k.a., 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Providing Treatment Under Managed Care - The Perils and The Good Stuff.'

$23.00 - [3 CREDIT HOURS] All of the material in 1B and 1C is included in this course, and then we expand on the clinical opportunities and perils for providers. We attempt to put to rest the question, 'So Is there really anything GOOD about Managed Care for Mental Health and Chemical Dependency professionals?' Oh yes indeed, there is!

We take a look at what programmatic contract and treatment opportunities to pursue (and which to avoid) when you work with an HMO or other managed care administrator - what types of treatment fit with a managed care system - and how innovative, non-traditional treatment services (especially for children and adults with major mental illness) can be provided under the new managed care models for difficult high-risk clients.

The final lesson in this course focuses upon the clinical details of how Care Management departments make treatment decisions which impact your clients' recovery process, and how providers can accommodate to this shift in clinical emphasis.

NOTE: Part of the material in this course is similar to some of the material found in MODULE 201 of FlexiCourses 4A, 5A, and 10A. Thus, if you purchase 4A, 5A, 10A - and then decide to also purchase 3A - please do so only with this understanding. You will also find some similar information in Course 2B, but 2B goes into greater detail about audit issues and self-audit of your clients’ records.


GOALS OF THIS COURSE AS THEY APPEAR ON YOUR CERTIFICATE:

Course 3A – “Managed Care – Is There Anything GOOD About It?”

1. Intro to goals and objectives of managed care - a.k.a. 'Why are they doing this to us and our clients?'

2. The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly of managed care plans, and how to adapt your clinical approach constructively.

3. How does Managed Care (and the 'Care Management' treatment approval and review process) affect the way that we deliver treatment to Mental Health and Chemical Dependency clients?

4. Identifying some creative service options for treatment providers to explore which allow more autonomy under a ‘Care Management’ system

.

FlexiCourse 5A - Welcome to Care Management! a.k.a., 'Do They REALLY Need Treatment?'

FlexiCourse 4A - This Is Managed Behavioral Health Care - and It's Impact on YOU! ('The Little Managed Care Course' Modules 101 & 201)

FlexiCourse 10A - The Big Course On Managed Care for Professionals (Modules 101, 201, 301, & 401)

Course 5B - Where The Rubber Meets The Road: The Nitty Gritty of How To Have More Professional Gain and Less Pain From Those Managed Care Companies!

$28.00 - [5 CREDIT HOURS] Same as Module 401 in FlexiCourse 10A. Negotiating for good professional and clinical options and needed changes in contracts (even after the ink is dry on your basic Provider Agreement); how to collect on denied claims and dealing with HMO claims errors; and how to avoid those 'duh!' errors that can cost you dearly. When to say NO to an MCO, when to say YES, and when to say 'How about if I do THIS?' Examples of some GREAT service options to pursue with a managed care company, including CREDENTIALING flexibility. GOALS FOR Module 401: 1. Review of "How The Managed Care Company Thinks - What Is 'Medical Necessity of Treatment' At A Practical Level" 2. Why DOCUMENTATION in your clients' records must reflect the 'Level of Care’ decision factors. 3. How to work effectively within a MCO Care Management system and contract - how to deal with multiple issues which affect the treatment we are allowed to provide to clients and the funding we receive to do it. 4. how to AVOID making ERRORS that cause providers to lose AUTHORIZATION to provide treatment. 5. Expansion of examples of creative ways we can serve CD and MH clients under a Managed System of Care.