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ForwardBridges to Mental Health Credit Claim Cohort 12 - February 2-3, 2026
Mental illness directly affects 1 in 5 Nebraskans and Iowans. Against this backdrop, there is a substantial shortage of mental health providers in our region, particularly within our rural communities. As such, primary care and non-psychiatric specialists provide the majority of medical therapy for psychiatric issues.
However, providers oftentimes don’t have the training, confidence, and/or resources to adequately identify, diagnose, and/or treat these issues. Add to that—little time: Patients in Omaha alone have seen wait times extend to 8–12 weeks to be seen by a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Dr. John Mitchell and Dr. Bill Lydiatt, with generous ongoing support from the Hawks Foundation and others, began a project to expand the mental health workforce in Nebraska through a program called Bridges to Mental Health. Clarkson Regional Health Services has formalized and amplified this pioneering initiative.
The Bridges to Mental Health Workforce Expansion Project trains primary care, specialty physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and mental health workers to:
- Improve diagnostic and therapeutic skills
- Strengthen confidence to expand care
- Heighten awareness of common psychiatric disorders
Believed to be the first of its kind nationally, this workforce training helps mitigate the access crisis by initiating early mental health treatment in areas where patients and the public already come for care.
There have been ten sessions so far, reaching 570 healthcare practitioners from across Nebraska and Western Iowa. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the demand for expanded training.
We are very excited to announce the next two-day session to increase the skills of both primary care and specialists in diagnosing and rteating patients with common mental illnesses. The sessions will be held Monday, February 2nd- Tuesday, February 3rd from 8 am to 4:50 pm at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel in Omaha NE.
Dr. David Rubin from Massachusetts General Hospital will lead the course along with two colleagues, Dr. Robert Althoff, and Dr. Mona Potter.
13.0 hours of CME through the MGH Institute of Health Professions will be available.
Accreditation Information
In support of improving patient care, MGH Institute of Health Professions is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.
Psychologists: Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 13.0 CE credits.
MGH Institute of Health Professions has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 13.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Nurses/NP's
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 13.0 contact hours for nurses. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists
This activity provides contact hours (13 CEUs) of continuing education credit. ACPE Universal Activity Number (UAN): JA4008265-9999-26-008-L99-P.
NOTE FOR PHARMACISTS: Upon closing of the electronic evaluation, IHP will upload the pharmacy-related continuing education information to CPE Monitor within 60 days. Per ACPE rules, IHP does not have access nor the ability to upload credits requested after the evaluation closes. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist or pharmacy technician to provide the correct information [NABP ePID and DOB (in MMDD format)] in order to receive credit for participating in a CE activity.
Social Work
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 13.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 13.0 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
8:30 | 9:00 | Bridges to Mental Health Live Training Day 1 –January 29, 2026 Introduction – Dr. John Mitchell & Dr. William Lydiatt |
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Module 1: Introduction | |||
9:00 | 9:30 | 2. General principles of psychiatric assessment | Rob |
9:30 | 10:00 | 3. Assessment of mental status | Khadijah |
10:00 | 10:15 | Self-assessment module | Rob |
10:15 | 10:30 | Q&A | All |
10:30 | 10:50 | Break | |
Module 2: Depression | |||
10:50 | 11:15 | 4. Assessment and Phenomenology of Depression | Khadijah |
11:15 | 12:00 | 5. Intro to Common Antidepressants - Practical Prescribing | David |
12:00 | 12:15 | Q & A | All |
12:15 | 1:00 | Lunch | |
1:00 | 1:30 | 6. Introduction to Psychotherapies for Depression | Khadijah |
1:30 | 2:00 | 7. Advanced Psychopharmacology - moving down the algorithm | David |
2:00 | 2:20 | 8. Special Topic: Suicide Risk Screening | Rob |
2:40 | Break | ||
2:40 | 3:00 | 9. Advanced Psychopharmacology – Depression Clinical Pearls | David |
3:00 | 3:30 | 10. Case Presentations | All |
4:30 | Q & A, Wrap-up, Closing | All[MN2] | |
Day 2- January 30, 2026 Module 3: ADHD and SUD | |||
9:00 | 9:15 | 1. Welcome and any follow-up | David |
9:15 | 9:45 | 2. ADHD Phenomenology and Treatment | Rob |
9:45 | 10:15 | 3. ADHD Clinical Pearls | David |
10:15 | 10:40 | 4. SUD Phenomenology and Treatment | Rob |
10:40 | 11:00 | Q & A | All |
11:00 | 11:15 | Break | |
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| Module 4: Anxiety |
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11:15 | 11:45 | 5. Anxiety, the Fear Response, and the Neuroscience of Anxiety | Rob |
11:45 | 12:15 | 6. Assessment and Phenomenology of Anxiety Disorders | Khadijah |
12:15 | 12:40 | 7. Pharmacology of Anxiety | David |
12:40 | 1:25 | Lunch |
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1:25 | 1:45 | 8. Introduction to the Psychotherapies for Anxiety | Khadijah |
1:45 | 2:15 | 9. Advanced psychopharmacology - Benzodiazepines. | Khadijah |
2:15 | 2:45 | 10. Psychopharmacology of PTSD | Rob |
2:45 | 3:00 | Break |
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3:00 | 3:30 | 11. Advanced psychopharmacology - Anxiety Clinical Pearls | David |
3:30 | 4:00 | Q & A | |
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| Module 5: Conclusions |
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4:00 | 4:30 | 12. Exercise - what's my diagnosis? | All |
4:30 | 5:00 | 13. Making a Difference, Final Q&A, Closing | All |
Course Planners/Speakers:
David Rubin, MD is the Director of the Division of Professional and Public Education at Massachusetts General Hospital and Dean of Continuing Education & Professional Development, MGH Institute of Health Professionals. He is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Robert Althoff, MD, PhD is Associate Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont.
Mona Potter, MD, is the Associate Director of the Division of Professional and Public Education at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Chief Medical Officer of InStrideHealth. She is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Course Planner:
Jane Pimental, MPH
Content Reviewers:
Susan Sprich, PhD
Disclosures: Dr. Althoff has an ownership interest in Wiser Systems, LLC
Available Credit
- 13.00 AAPA Category 1 CMEMGH Institute of Health Professions has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 13.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until 11/30/2026. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
- 13.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of IHP and Massachusetts General Hospital. IHP is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
IHP designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 13.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 13.00 Nursing Contact Hours
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 13, sections 13, 14, 14A, 15 and 15D and Chapter 112, sections 74 through 81C authorize the Board of Registration in Nursing to regulate nursing practice and education.
This program meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00) for 13.00 contact hours of nursing continuing education credit. Advance practice nurses, please note: Educational activities which meet the requirements of the ACCME (such as this activity) count towards 50% of the nursing requirement for ANCC accreditation.
- 13.00 Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 13.00 clock hours for continuing education credits.
- 13.00 Participation
This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.
Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.
- 13.00 Psychologists CE Credit
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 13.00 CE credit.