The University of Alberta is offering a new 12-week training program to help family doctors provide better care for individuals with psychiatric illness. The program—called the Alberta Network for Community Health Outreach and Rural Mental Health—is intended to help family doctors develop the knowledge and skills they need to support individuals with psychiatric illness. Learners receive access to interactive educational sessions, collaborative case conferences, and ongoing supports such as access to tools and experts from the university. “The vast majority of individuals with psychiatric illness are going to be seen in primary care before they ever get to a psychiatrist, if they ever get to the psychiatrist,” explained UAlberta Chair of Psychiatry David Ross, who co-leads the program.
