Ep. #96 Integrated Care: A Unified Voice

Psych Consults in Primary Care with Dr. “V” Diaz-Hernandez

ennifer Thomas hosts a special CFHA Integrated Care Podcast episode featuring board-certified psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Virmarie “Dr. V” Diaz-Hernandez, national medical director at Concert Health, discussing psychiatric consultation in primary care within the Collaborative Care Model. Dr. V shares her training in Puerto Rico and the U.S., how stigma and fragmented systems drive the need for integrated care, and her early CoCM training through the AIMS Center. She explains the CoCM “triangle” roles (PCP, behavioral health care manager, and psychiatric consultant), how consultation differs from traditional psychiatry, and why it can be rewarding through population-level impact. They cover lessons learned—clear roles, flexible workflows, strong communication, weekly systematic case reviews using a registry, and avoiding program drift—plus how remote teams work and resources like CFHA training, the job board, and the CFHA annual conference (Oct 8–10 in St. Louis).

Ep. #99 Overmedication, Kids’ Mental Health & Integrated Care

On the Integrated Care Podcast, host Grace Pratt and co-hosts Jen Thomas, Deepu George, Monica Williams, Neftali Serrano, and Ashley Garrison welcome child and adolescent psychiatrist (and former pediatrician) Dr. Mary Dobbins to discuss an HHS announcement, highlighted at a May 4 summit with the Maha Institute, about reducing over-prescribing of psychiatric medications and supporting alternatives. The panel explores mixed reactions: agreement that de-prescribing and holistic supports matter, but concern that the messaging can fuel mistrust, stigma, and fear-mongering, and that proposed solutions lack practical infrastructure for psychotherapy, family support, and nutrition. Dobbins emphasizes that most childhood mental health problems are experiential, often tied to trauma, poverty, and social stressors, and argues for relational, trauma-informed, team-based care alongside appropriate medication use. The episode closes with a Mary Oliver reading about teaching children.

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.