The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council is a statewide group of stakeholders created in response to the need for recruitment and retention of highly qualified public community psychiatrists across the state of Pennsylvania.
As part of this effort, the state Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) funded the creation of three psychiatric Centers of Excellence to work on the recruitment and training of psychiatrists into community psychiatry. These centers are located in Erie (Millcreek Community Hospital in collaboration with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine & Presque Isle Psychiatric Associates), Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania), and Pittsburgh (Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic & the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine).
Family Inclusion is one component of the PPLC’s efforts. The members of the PPLC Family Committee have been involved in developing two position papers: (click on the title to see each document)
The Family Care Training For Community Psychiatry Fellows provides recommendations to psychiatry fellows, who are involved with the Centers of Excellence, regarding the needed attitudes, knowledge, skills and supportive research about involving families in the treatment process of the loved one in need. It encourages the training of psychiatric fellows to become familiar in working with families as early in the treatment process as possible. This position paper has been approved by the Family Committee of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council.
Download the 2018 Family Inclusion Competencies for Community Psychiatrists
The Family Inclusion Competencies provides guidance and recommendations for competencies needed by psychiatrists already working with consumers and their families in the community. It recommends how community psychiatrists should work with families. The Competencies is currently in draft revision, and upon final approval the draft will be reviewed by OMHSAS as a Pennsylvania Bulletin with the goal that psychiatrists practicing in state hospitals, community health agencies, behavioral managed care organizations, primary care & psychiatry collaborations will all become knowledgeable and skilled in family inclusive efforts.
The Centers of Excellence fellows have begun to discuss with consumers the benefits of including families, suggested to providers that families be scheduled into a clinic visits, have family members participate in educational seminars, become familiar with local support group resources, made referrals to appropriate family supports.