Melanie M. Biggs, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9086, Mark J. DeHaven, PhD, Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 6263 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9067, Shannon Lee, BA, Dept. of Family Practice and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, 6263 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390, and Kambria Kennedy, BA, Community Health Services, Central Dallas Ministries, 801 N. Peak St., Dallas, TX 75246, 214-821-8644 ext.110, kambriakennedy@sbcglobal.net.

Project Access is a CDC-funded community-based participatory research project providing access to care for the uninsured working poor. The project uses a Community Health Worker (CHW) model to supplement care coordination and has developed a special emphasis for patients with mental health needs. All patients who screen positive for Mental Depressive Episode when enrolled into the program are assigned to a Community Mental Health Worker (CMHW). The CMHW receives specialized training, and works closely with patients to access care and adhere to care recommendations. Additionally, all CHWs participate in a program developed by a clinical psychologist to provide mental health training in screening, referral and access to mental healthcare services. Each training period consists of six 2-hour sessions utilizing didactics, case vignettes, video demonstrations, handouts, and case conferencing. The training sessions address major mental disorders, crisis intervention skills, goal setting, and research procedures for mental health specific outcomes. CHWs are given a knowledge-based test on mental health disorders, screening and research procedures at pre-training and at the end of the 6 month training period. Program evaluation surveys are collected from the trainees at the end the program as a means of performance improvement. The Care Coordination Manager, who received the training and coordinates the mental health caseload with the CMHW, will present elements of the protocol and successful strategies and challenges of the mental health education for the CHWs.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the methods used to train Community Health Workers (CHWs) to provide mental health screening, referral and access to mental healthcare services. Explain the curriculum plan and evaluation outcomes. Apply the mental health training model to public health programs and mobilize the communities to address mental healthcare needs.

Keywords: Access and Services, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.