Ep. #98 Change & Integrated Care

Ep. #98 Change & Integrated Care

On the Integrated Care Podcast sponsored by the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, host Neft Serrano and co-hosts Bridget (Washington FQHC), Jen (Northern Illinois family medicine/addiction medicine), and Ashley (North Carolina pediatric dietitian) discuss how rapid change—federal policy shifts, immigration enforcement fears, Medicaid cuts, global conflict, and AI—affects healthcare workers and patients. They describe workforce strain, burnout pressures to see more patients, and challenges sustaining effective behavioral health integration, while also highlighting organizational adaptability through strong leadership, awareness, and clear communication. Ashley shares clinic efforts to protect patients during ICE-related fears and program disruptions from Medicaid coverage changes. The group argues change can clarify core values, strengthen team-based integrated care focused on community health, and open broader discussions like Medicare for All amid spending priorities. They also briefly address growing use of AI tools for patient questions, clinical support, and documentation.

Ep. #97Policy Is Practice: Vaccines, Food Guidelines & Integrated Care

Hosts of the Integrated Care Podcast (CFHA)—Grace Pratt with co-hosts Bridgette Beachy, Ashley Garrison, Jen Thomas, and Monica Williams—discuss how “policy is practice and practice is policy,” emphasizing resisting all-or-nothing thinking and recognizing that change is a long game. They share personal entry points into policy engagement, including Medicaid expansion advocacy, and preview CFHA learning resources and the October 8–10, 2026 CFHA conference in St. Louis. The conversation focuses on recent federal shifts affecting clinical work, including vaccine guidance moving several childhood vaccines to shared clinical decision-making and the resulting impact on primary care conversations, trust, insurance, and schools. They also discuss updated dietary messaging, with Ashley explaining a protein-and-vegetable-forward approach, practical strategies for families, and how integrated care teams support patient-centered decisions amid misinformation and clinician strain.

Ep. #96 Integrated Care: A Unified Voice

Hosts Grace Pratt, Monica Harrison, Bridget, Neftali Serrano, and late-arriving co-host Jen Thomas introduce themselves on the Integrated Care Podcast and share CFHA updates, including the virtual spring conference (May 6–7) and a call for proposals for the October fall conference in St. Louis, plus cohort-based trainings on cfha.net. The group workshops a planned fall mini-summit prompted by Naftali’s concern that government momentum for behavioral health integration is waning while cost pressures, health tech fragmentation, and changes to primary care accelerate. They discuss the need for a unified message centered on team-based care, the operational barriers within health systems, and gaps between clinical progress, organizational change, and policy influence, emphasizing relationship-building with administrators and policymakers so integrated care is included in future payment models and legislation.

Ep. #95. Live From The Conference: E-GATHER PCBH Reflection & Learning Tool

Dr. Patti Robinson, at the 2025 CFHA: The Integrated Care Association annual conference, introduces the E-GATHER Reflection and Learning Tool, an evolution of the “gather” tool developed from training health improvement practitioners (BHCs) in New Zealand. The tool is designed to reduce overwhelm in the first three months of a new BHC role, bring an equity lens “up front,” and support supervision and professional development when qualified supervisors and protected time are limited. The talk reviews barriers to successful supervision in integrated behavioral health (supervisor shortages, time constraints, staffing shortages, mixed interprofessional cultures, and inconsistent clinic workflows) and highlights conditions that improve supervision (regular meetings, protected time and space, flexibility, shared purpose, and two-way feedback). A pilot in Los Angeles with BHCs transitioning from co-located care to PCBH and new, unlicensed social work associates used E-GATHER in both individual and group supervision. Reported outcomes included rapid gains in self-ratings, increased visits per day, fewer follow-ups per unique patient, higher role satisfaction, faster onboarding of new BHCs, stronger peer support, and increased interest in further skills training (e.g., FACT/Four Square, CBT, psychoeducation). Feedback emphasized that E-GATHER made supervision more structured and productive, while suggested improvements included fewer interruptions during meetings, more role plays, and supplemental trainings/webinars.

Ep. #94 Challenges and Triumphs of Pediatric Integrated Care

In this episode of the Integrated Care podcast from the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, hosted by Grace Pratt, the team explores the complexities and rewards of implementing integrated care, especially in pediatric settings. Michelle Shrek from Children's Wisconsin shares her journey of integrating behavioral health into a pediatric practice, including the structural, operational, and cultural challenges encountered. The conversation delves into the importance of appropriate provider-to-patient ratios, earning trust within a medical team, and the unique aspects of working in pediatrics. The team also welcomes a new member, Ashley Garrison, a pediatric dietician, who shares her insights on the importance of diet and nutrition in holistic care. The episode concludes with a reflective poem on parenting and children's independence. This episode offers a realistic yet hopeful look at the path to successful integrated care, emphasizing the importance of relationships, organizational readiness, and passion for the work. 00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks