Format(s)
Online & In-Person
Duration
10 months
Cost
$2,000
Discounts may be available
The Behavioral Health Consultant Certificate Course (BHC-CC) is a program designed to address the existing gaps in accessing behavioral health services in primary care. BHC-CC will provide new insights, skills, and technical abilities for behavioral health professionals. Licensed professionals will learn to operate as Behavioral Health Consultants in primary care. Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) are core primary care team members within the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model.
PCBH is an integrated behavioral health model that focuses on improving the primary care teams' ability to treat and manage mental, behavioral, and physical health conditions that are common in primary care. It is a prominent approach to integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings. This trained behavioral health workforce will also learn unique skills to address existing health disparities, improve health equity, and promote health in vulnerable and historically excluded populations.
This course, developed by Mental Health America of Greater Houston, will include a series of synchronous online learning through pre-recorded videos, virtual bi-monthly office hours, an in-person behavioral health bootcamp, and two live trainings with standardized patients.
Eligibility Requirements
You must be licensed under the following titles to be eligible to apply for this course:
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)
- Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)
- Licensed Psychologists (LP)
The deadline to apply is January 20, 2023. The course begins on February 13, 2023.

This course was made possible in part by a visionary gift from Robert and Edith Zinn.
Key Learnings
Identify the components of the integral role of a behavioral health consultant (BHC) within the Primary Care Behavioral (PCBH) model.
Discuss, identify, and apply interventions to improve teamwork and performance.
Describe the effect of health equity and health disparities on health outcomes.
Identify and utilize interventions and strategies to facilitate behavior change.
Evaluate best treatment plan based on efficacy and expert guidance.
Sections
- Introduction to Primary Care, PCBH, Population Health and PCBH Bootcamp - Prerequisite
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Dates: February 13, 2023 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
Format: In person at Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Education
Instructors: Dr. Arissa Walberg, Dr. Yajaira Johnson-Esparza, Dr. Stacy OgbeideTake a deep dive into the world of Primary Care Behavioral Health!
This prerequisite session will:
- Describe the Levels of Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care
- Describe the primary care specialties
- Describe the levels of prevention and population health approach
- Describe the models of Behavioral Health Integration in primary care
- Describe the basic tenets of the PCBH consultation model
- Designing Clinical Pathways
- Understand medical terminology for primary care
- Module 1 – Introduction to the Behavioral Health Consultant Role and Competencies
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Dates: March - April 2023
Format: Asynchronous and bi-weekly open office hours
Instructors: Dr. Becky Scott, Dr. Brittany Houston, Dr. Diane Dougherty, Dr. Meredith Williamson, Shandy Gonzalez, Dr. Yajaira-Esparza JohnsonLearn how a BHC operates in the primary care setting.
At the end of this session students will:
- Understand the role of BHC in primary care
- Understand the competencies for a BHC
- Explain the pathophysiology of common physical health conditions
- Identify components of an initial visit versus a follow-up visit
- Conducting a behavioral Change-focused interview for the context of primary care
- Identify and apply evidence-based, behavioral interventions common problems in primary care
- Billing and coding for behavioral health Integration in primary care
- Module 2 – Teamwork in Primary Care
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Dates: May - June 2023
Format: Asynchronous and bi-weekly open office hours
Instructors: Dr. Becky Scott, Dr. Diane Dougherty, Dr. Arissa WalbergI’m part of a team in primary care. Now what?
At the end of this session students will:
- Understand the roles of the various primary care team members
- Identify and apply interventions to improve team science and team performance in primary care
- Identify and apply interventions to improve provider burnout in primary care
- In-Person Training Lab: Standardized Patient Practice
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Dates: May 6, 2023
Format: In person at University of Houston, College of Medicine
Instructors: Dr. Yajaira Johnson-Esparza, Dr. Diane Dougherty, Dr. Meredith Williamson, Dr. Brittany Houston, Shandy GonzalezAt this session students will engage in:
- 8-hour period clinical learning lab
- Live trainings with standardized patients
- Supervised by PCBH Faculty experts
- Co-learning with other program participants/learners.
- Module 3 – Special Topics in Primary Care
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Dates: July - August 2023
Format: Asynchronous and bi-weekly open office hours
Instructors: Dr. Arissa Walberg, Dr. Becky Scott, Dr. Diane Dougherty, Dr. Meredith WilliamsonPrimary care patients can be complex – how do you help patients with complex needs?
At the end of this session students will:
- Understand the impact of Adverse Childhood Experience, Trauma and PTSD in primary care
- Identify the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on primary care delivery
- Screening, Brief Interventions, and Referrals to Treatment (SBIRT)
- Employ psychopharmacology 101 in primary care
- Understand the basics of quality improvement within the PCBH mode
- Module 4 – Health Equity and Health Disparities in Primary Care
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Dates: September - October 2023
Format: Asynchronous and bi-weekly open office hours
Instructors: Dr. Eboni WinfordClosing the health disparities gap in primary care – how can a BHC help with this?
At the end of this session students will:
- Define Health Equity and Health Disparities
- Describe the differences between implicit and explicit bias
- Explain the impact of systemic racism on health outcomes
- Module 5 – Technology in Primary Care
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Dates: November 2023
Format: Asynchronous and bi-weekly open office hours
Instructor Name: Dr. Meredith WilliamsonPrimary care in the virtual world. At the end of this session students will:
- Identify telehealth strategies to facilitate behavioral change
- Understand the use of technological devices in the context of primary care
- Understand legal/ethical implications of telehealth in primary care
- In-Person Training Lab: Standardized Patient Practice
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Dates: December 2, 2023
Format: In person at University of Houston, College of Medicine
Instructor Name: Dr. Yajaira Johnson-Esparza, Dr. Diane Dougherty, Dr. Meredith Williamson, Dr. Brittany Houston, Shandy GonzalezAt this session students will engage in:
- 4-hour period clinical learning lab
- Live trainings with standardized patients
- Supervised by PCBH Faculty experts
- Co-learning with other program participants/learners.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find the answers to our frequently asked questions below. For additional questions, please contact ihci@mhahouston.org.
- Can we receive financial discounts for this course?
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Please contact ihci@mhahouston.org for a separate application for financial discounts before January 6th, 2023.
- How many Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be offered?
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This course will provide a total of 40 CEUs.
- How many in-person sessions will there be? Is it mandatory to attend all of them?
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There will be three in person sessions, all of which are mandatory.
- Where are the in-person sessions located?
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All in-person sessions will be conducted in Houston, TX.
- Can I learn this course at my own pace?
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Yes, the online components of this course are self-paced and you will have approximately 2 months of access per module.
- How long is this course?
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This course will be approximately 10 months long, beginning in February 2023 and ending in December 2023.
- Where can I access course materials?
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All course materials will be available through Canvas, our online learning management system for this course.
- Do I have to live in Texas to apply for the course?
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You do not have to live in Texas to apply for the course, however, you will still need to attend all three in-person sessions in Houston, Texas. You will need to make your own travel arrangements, as these will not be covered by the cost of the course.
- Does this course provide credentialing?
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No, it does not.
- Can I apply for this course even if I do not serve or work in the priority zip codes of the Greater Houston Area?
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Yes, you can apply for the course even if you do not serve our targeted zip codes.
- Can I apply for the course even if I do not work in a medical setting?
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Yes, you can apply to the course however, priority will be given to applicants that currently work in primary care or have expressed a desire to work in primary care after the completion of the course.
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