Impact of Climate Change on Behavioral Health

Activity description

Climate change and climate-related disasters can cause both short- and long-term mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. This activity will examine the mental health effects of climate change and climate-related events on individuals and provide an overview of the populations more vulnerable to these impacts, including people with mental health issues, chronic health conditions, and those of poorer social determinants of health (SDOH), which include lower socioeconomic status, decreased access to quality health care, poorer environmental conditions, and heightened levels of experienced discrimination and bias. The negative impact of climate change on health disparities and community wellbeing will also be examined. A discussion of strategies that can mitigate the negative mental health effects of climate change, support individual resilience, improve the relationships between patients and their health care professionals, and promote positive outcomes will be discussed.

Provided by
This activity is jointly provided by OptumHealth Education and Optum Behavioral Health.

Commercial support
There was no commercial support received for this activity.
 
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Target Audience

This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors and therapists who are interested in learning about pertinent topics in behavioral health, including current trends, concerns, data, and influencing factors surrounding mental health outcomes. 

Learning Objectives

At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Discuss the salient direct and indirect stressors associated with climate change and climate-related events and describe their short-term and projected long-term effects on individuals’ mental health (MH) and behaviors.
  • Identify individuals most vulnerable to the negative MH consequences of climate-related events.
  • Recognize the negative impact of climate change on health disparities, social determinants of health, community wellbeing and preparedness for challenging situations.
  • Describe strategies to support resilience and mitigate the negative effects of climate change on MH, including connecting with health care professionals and community support services.
Activity summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 APA - Psychologists
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
  • 1.00 ASWB - Social Workers
Activity opens: 
12/01/2021
Activity expires: 
12/01/2024
Rating: 
4

Presenter
Jose Calderon-Abbo, MD, FASAM
Behavioral Health Medical Director-Optum
UnitedHealthcare C&S Louisiana 

Activity planners
Elizabeth V. Albert, MD 
Clinical Activity Manager
OptumHealth Education

LaRhonda Jones, MD
ECS-Senior Behavioral Medical Director – Central Region
Optum

Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, OptumHealth Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.

The activity faculty or planners have no financial relationships to disclose.

Method for calculating CE credit
CE credit was calculated by the complexity of content.

Accreditation statement
Joint Accreditation LogoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by OptumHealth Education and Optum Behavioral Health. OptumHealth Education 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 health care team.

Credit designation statements
Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.00 contact hour(s) of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.

Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.

Physicians
OptumHealth Education designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

PAs
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Psychologists
OptumHealth Education is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. OptumHealth Education maintains responsibility for this program 1.00 CE hour.

Social workers
ACE LogoAs a Jointly Accredited Organization, OptumHealth Education 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. OptumHealth Education maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 enduring continuing education credits.

Counselors and/or marriage and family therapists
CA: The Board of Behavioral Sciences has deferred CE course approvals to APA and ASWB for its licensees. See those approvals under Psychologists and Social Workers.
Other States: If your state is not specifically listed, nearly all state Counselor and MFT boards accept either APA or ASWB approval, or are reciprocal with other state licensing board approvals, such as those listed below. Check with your board to be sure.

Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been preapproved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization from which they wish to obtain credit.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 APA - Psychologists
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
  • 1.00 ASWB - Social Workers
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