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.

Aging Course 4G - Assessment and Treatment of Cognitive and Behavioral Dysfunction in Aging Adults

$28.00 - [Want to watch the Aging COURSE DEMO? Click the Aging Course Preview here.] This 4 Credit-Hour course presents a STRUCTURED SKILLS-BASED TREATMENT APPROACH to assessing and treating specific functional difficulties of the elderly, in various settings. The assessment and treatment interventions taught in this course address COGNITIVE CONFUSION AND IMPAIRMENT in aging individuals (which at times may mimic dementia) - oftentimes appearing concurrent with serious AFFECTIVE conditions (such as DEPRESSION with or without agitation) and BEHAVIORAL difficulties (such as angry or explosive behavior, aggression, refusal to perform essential activities, and other behaviors which may lead to inpatient care if not stabilized).

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS in this age group is crucial and oftentimes more difficult than with the non-elderly client population. The clinical picture presented by such clients is oftentimes confusing and misleading, i.e., what “looks like Alzheimer’s” isn’t always Alzheimer’s disease, and isn’t always a case of organically based dementia which can be unresponsive to non-medical treatment interventions.

In the non-Alzheimer’s client, what we frequently see is cognitive confusion and behavioral abnormality following medical trauma including strokes and major surgery, loss of health or home or independence, and other such disruptive events. These functional difficulties are oftentimes complicated by depression and anxiety, and perhaps by difficulty in communicating basic wants and needs. These issues may lead to withdrawal from the environment and from social interaction, which can mimic organically based dementia.

Oftentimes we must “back into a diagnosis” . . . interacting with the individual in the treatment environment for a period of time that exceeds that normally required with non-elderly clients, and then formulate a differential diagnosis based on our experiences with the individual.

Perhaps more than with any other age group, ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS with the elderly is a DYNAMIC process. We must observe changes in affect and functional response to treatment interventions for a period of time that extends beyond a formal “intake evaluation”. How best to approach these non-Alzheimer's AGING issues, therapeutically, in a variety of settings? That’s the focus of this course.

Details: The course presents a STRUCTURED SKILLS-BASED APPROACH to assessing, treating, and documenting cognitive and behavioral difficulties of the elderly, in various settings. We present information that will allow you to effectively ASSESS and PRIORITIZE the cognitive and behavioral issues at hand, and to develop creative INTERVENTIONS that work!

We may find our aging clients in an outpatient clinic, residing in nursing facilities or participating in Day Care Centers operated by churches or private individuals – or simply living at home with adult children or other relatives.

More details: The interventions are particularly helpful with COGNITIVE confusion or impairment and BEHAVIORAL difficulties associated with any one of a number of precipitating factors – e.g., a mild stroke resulting in cognitive disturbance (with sensory-motor issues, perhaps receptive or expressive aphasia, mental confusion, etc) .... or cognitive confusion resulting from grief, loss, dislocation, etc. (e.g., a move to a nursing home, the loss of one’s personal home and possessions, death of a spouse, loss of independence, etc.).

Such elderly individuals oftentimes present with agitated or angry behavior, along with confusion. Such behavior is oftentimes accompanied by depressed and anxious emotionality, which can mimic dementia. How best to approach these issues therapeutically? And how best to resurrect cognitive skills which have fallen into disuse or impaired due to a stroke or situational trauma? That’s the focus of this course.

More details: The interventions we describe can be employed in multiple settings, including mental health clinics, professionally operated church day care programs for aging individuals with mental health issues, nursing homes – and at home with family, under professional supervision.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES OF THIS COURSE:

1. Obtain an Overview of Cognitive and Behavioral (Functional) Deficits of the non-Alzheimer’s Geriatric Population.

2. Learn Specific Techniques for Reconnecting and Reinforcing Cognitive Processes

3. :Awareness of Behavioral Management Techniques Tailored To The Geriatric Patient.

4. Know How to Design and Implement Individualized Treatment Plans for Cognitively and Behaviorally Impaired Geriatric Mental Health Consumers.

5. Effective Documentation of Such Treatment

AOD Course 5H - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: Identification and Intervention - A Family and Couples Therapy Guide

$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. 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 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.

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.

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: The EMPHASIS in this treatment course is upon treatment of individuals in family or couples therapy who engage in PROBLEM DRINKING and RISKY DRINKING, who don't necessarily meet the criteria for an alcohol dependency diagnosis. 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 ... - 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.

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 - Four (4) Credit Hour Ethics CEUs for Professional Counselors, MFTs, Social Workers, Substance Abuse Counselors, 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 are paid by insurance, managed care, or closely monitored state or local contracts.

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

The first part of the 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. How much do you divulge about your assessment of the client's diagnosis, his prognosis, his functional status, and his response to treatment? What's ETHICAL - when the payor is demanding details? What's NECESSARY?

In Ethics 4D we ALSO take a look at such ethical questions as the contract manager's focus upon YOUR effectiveness in the treatment process - i.e., is your approach to treatment effective (or not)? 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? And .... does this emphasis upon YOUR EFFECTIVENESS have anything to do with your own ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY, as required by your license standards? ?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

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

2. Identify the new ETHICAL ISSUES faced by providers as a function of this new approach to authorization - i.e., JUSTIFYING and DELIVERING treatment services to our clients within this environment, and DOCUMENTING the ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, and RESPONSE TO TREATMENT.

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

4. Identify additional ETHICAL DILEMMAS encountered in 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?

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

$24.00 - Three (3) Credit Hour Ethics CEUs for Professional Counselors, MFTs, Social Workers, Substance Abuse Counselors, 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 are paid by insurance, managed care, or 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. [Want to watch a short Ethics COURSE DEMO, with material from Ethics 4D and 3D? Click the Ethics Course Preview here

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. 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 your own licensure standards SUPPORT - or OVERRULE - this type of documentation of a client's treatment information?

SUMMARY OF GOALS:

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

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

3. Learn how we can ETHICALLY accommodate these new treatment 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 treatment providers. 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).

The course is appropriate for licensed therapists and counselors, Social Workers, and AOD treatment providers who assess and treat clients with mental illness, AOD, or Dual Diagnosis issues. 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." 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, 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.

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.

National Guideline Clearinghouse Course 2E - The Treatment and Management of Depression in Adults

$18 - 2 Credit Hours. THIS 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.

This 2-credit hour Treatment Intervention course is accessed free of charge through an internet link to the National Guideline Clearinghouse, a project of the US Dept of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

This guideline for treatment of adults with varying levels of depression presents the 'Stepped-Care Model' - a structured framework for identifying and accessing the most effective treatment interventions. In stepped care, the least intrusive, most effective intervention is provided first; if a person does not benefit from the intervention initially offered, or declines an intervention, they are offered an appropriate intervention from the next step.

This NGC publication is not intended to teach specific therapeutic techniques or schools of thought regarding the treatment of depression. Rather, it presents a structured 4 STEP approach to EFFECTIVELY MATCHING treatment modalities to the specific characteristics of the individual, i.e., the severity of his depression, his previous response to treatment, and his preferences or rejection of specific modalities. The recommendations of the NGC are based upon an international collaborative sharing of clinical data bases.

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.]

GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

1. Know the principles for assessment, coordination of care and choosing treatments for adults with varying levels of depression.

2. Know the essentials for effective delivery of interventions for depression.

3. Understand the range of depressive severity, from persistent subthreshold depressive symptoms to severe and complex depression, and the differences in the treatment approach to each.

4. Understand the nature and use of the five interventions in the Stepped-Care Model, recommended by the National Guidelines Clearinghouse (NGC) for treatment of adults with various levels of depression.

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 2E - The Treatment and Management of Depression in Adults

This is a QUIZ ONLY course, i.e., the online document and the quiz may be viewed and printed for FREE. You pay only if you decide to take the quiz and obtain a CE certificate from CEU By Net. You can also SAVE this online document as a PDF document for FREE .... and you can print it and read the course off-line if you so desire. This online document [accessed through the link at the end of this description] is the most recent guideline published by the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) for treatment of adults with various levels of depression. This study material uses a 4 STEP classification of depression severity, with corresponding response steps. Using the 4 STEP approach, the National Guidelines Clearinghouse recommends a step-wise set of interventions beginning with low intensity psychosocial interventions with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach, to Group CBT and use of prescription drugs, to high-intensity psychological interventions which may include CBT, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), and couples therapy ... and on to more intensive interventions if need be. The study material describes the recommended approach to delivery of the step-wise interventions, as well as approaches to relapse prevention. The options, benefits and cautions for use of pharmacology are also addressed. The NGC is a database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents, published as a resource for treatment professionals in the United States, by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). AHRQ is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The material - selected for publication in the United States by AHRQ - is jointly authored by an international group of distinguished individuals working with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the UK. This material is within the public domain, and intended for education and training purposes. 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 clients who present a potential for harm to self or others.

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 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.

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

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] In most states, it's goodbye to flexible addiction Block Grants and other 'open access' State contracts! This course addresses the 'nitty gritty' of the major CHANGES in TRADITIONAL SA-CD PROGRAMS, TREATMENTS, DOCUMENTATION, AND PHILOSOPHY, due to the new health care environment. Applies to single AOD diagnosis and to Dual MH-AOD diagnoses.

Offers a bird's eye view of how ASSESSMENT of the client's NEED FOR TREATMENT - and HOW we DELIVER and DOCUMENT the treatment - have CHANGED under Managed Care ..... and how to constructively adapt when it's ethically possible.

SUMMARY: 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 managed care contractors (such as HMOs, BHOs, MCOs, state operated plans, and commercial insurance companies) 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 treatment DOCUMENTATION plays in obtaining and maintaining treatment authorization and funding for our clients .... for example, the four KEY CONCEPTS in authorization and documentation of treatment.

4. how to design AOD treatment programs and treatment plans within the new managed care environment, which will be approved and will get the OUTCOME results that insurance carriers and state programs are looking for.


Course 3B presents some specialized treatment scenarios which can be discussed with an MCO or other care manager (State or local, etc.) which can provide effective treatment of recidivistic addiction clients, under a 'Care Management' system.

Also provides an understanding of HOW the MCOs make those controversial treatment DECISIONS for substance abusing and chemically dependent individuals - and HOW TO ASK for 'WHAT' from the MCO's care manager, to maximize your chances of getting what your clients need.

We also present clear 1-2-3 guidance on how to DOCUMENT both your assessment and the treatment you deliver under a Care Managed system - and an introduction to RECOUPMENT of funds already paid to you (which typically occurs due to inadequate DOCUMENTATION 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.

Course 3F - Reducing Maternal Depression and Its Impact on Young Children

$20.00 - [3 Credit Hours] THIS 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 3-HOUR CEU CERTIFICATE.

The publication is accessed through a link to the National Center for Children In Poverty [Columbia University] website. You may view and print a COPY of our online quiz now, without charge, and use it as a guide as you read the study materials.

This informative paper on Maternal Depression in low income families was developed by Jane Knitzer, EdD, Suzanne Theberge, MPH, and Kay Johnson, MPH, MEd. NCCP is a nonpartisan, public interest research organization. The paper is jointly published by Project Thrive and NCCP.

As described by the publishers of this internet-accessible paper, the research studies and model programs which are reviewed here, focus upon Maternal Depression as a significant risk factor affecting the well-being and school readiness of young children in LOW INCOME FAMILIES. Low-income mothers of young children experience particularly high levels of depression, often in combination with other risk factors. The impact on their children is well documented. ETHNIC AND CULTURAL factors are important elements and must be included in program design.

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 more detail, AND TO ACCESS THE COURSE MATERIALS AND THE QUIZ FOR FREE, click the little + sign, below the GOALS which follow:


FOCUS AND GOALS:

1. Review the research-based knowledge about the impact of maternal depression on young children, particularly infants and toddlers, and the prevalence of maternal depression among different ethnic and economic groups.

2. Review examples of community and treatment strategies designed to be sensitive to ethnic and cultural biases of Caucasian, Latino, and African American adult and teen women …. with goals to reduce maternal depression and prevent negative cognitive, social emotional and behavioral impacts upon their young children

3. Identify the key cultural barriers to women of differing ethnicities who are seeking help for maternal depression

4. Know the approaches to promote healthy early child development and school readiness vis-à-vis Maternal Depression prevention and treatment

5. Review model programs to address community, cultural, and ethnic barriers, and thereby to craft more appropriate intervention responses.

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:

Maternal Depression and Child Course 3F - Guide 1

This 3-credit hour course is a pdf document accessed FREE by an open-access internet link to the National Center for Children In Poverty [Columbia University] website. If you wish to earn CE CREDIT and a CE Certificate for reading this well documented material, you may do so by taking a quiz on our website. NOTE: YOU NEED TO HAVE ADOBE READER 8 or 9 or ANOTHER PDF READER on your computer to view this document over the internet. This paper presents an extensive description of MODEL COMMUNITY and THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS in multiple ethnic communities, as well as some key research studies related to prevalence, outcomes, and BEST PRACTICES. The GOALS of this Continuing Education activity are (a) understanding the IMPACT of maternal depression on young children, particularly infants and toddlers in low-income families, (b) COMMUNITY PATHWAYS TO REDUCTION of maternal depression and prevention of related cognitive, social emotional and behavioral damage to youth which affect their well-being and school readiness, (c) awareness of the prevalence of maternal depression among different ETHNIC GROUPS, and the effective community and treatment strategies designed to be sensitive to ethnicity and cultural biases of Caucasian, Latino, and African American adult and teen women, (d) Identification of the key CULTURAL BARRIERS to women of differing ethnicities who are seeking help for maternal depression, and (e) a review of MODEL PROGRAMS to address community, cultural, and ethnic barriers, and thereby to craft more appropriate intervention responses, and (f) awareness of noteworthy COMMUNITY AND PROGRAMMATIC STRATEGIES to identify and reduce maternal depression and the associated problems in young children., and (g) recognition of the BARRIERS to effective community implementation. The paper also provides a superior BIBLIOGRAPHY of position papers and research studies of this subject, should the CE participant wish to follow up with more information and study. Click here to view this study material. Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

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. 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 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. 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.