Talks
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Staff
Academic/Professional Position (Other)
Director Special Programs
Academic Level (Author 1)
Faculty
Discipline/Specialty (Author 1)
Family Medicine
Academic Level (Author 2)
Staff
Discipline/Specialty (Author 2)
Family Medicine
Academic Level (Author 3)
Staff
Discipline/Specialty (Author 3)
Family Medicine
Academic Level (Author 4)
Staff
Discipline/Specialty (Author 4)
Family Medicine
Academic Level (Author 5)
Staff
Discipline/Specialty (Author 5)
Family Medicine
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Discipline Track
Patient Care
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I2PBH) Initiative aims to establish a Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) certificate pathway that equips the next generation of behavioral health professionals to provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and population-based care. By leveraging evidence-based PCBH Integrated Care, the program addresses critical challenges in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), such as limited access to behavioral health services and increasing behavioral health disparities. This initiative actively promotes health equity by building a sustainable workforce pipeline prepared to serve medically underserved populations and reduce behavioral healthcare disparities in the RGV.
Description: Established in 2019, the I2PBH initiative trains up to six graduate students annually from four mental health disciplines, emphasizing foundational and advanced clinical skills of the PCBH model. The PCBH Certificate Program is a 12‐hour program that trains students to provide behavioral health care in medical settings. This pathway prepares students to serve as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) in primary care settings, meeting practicum and internship requirements. To date, the program has successfully trained a total of 23 program alumni and 11 current and new trainees. Key components of the program include trauma-informed, culturally adaptive coursework, such as Foundations of Integrated Behavioral Health and Clinical Skills for the BHC. Advanced clinical supervision and training incorporate mixed-reality simulations and asynchronous distance learning via virtual platforms like Blackboard and Zoom. This approach focuses on PCBH-specific competencies while providing concurrent primary-care-focused clinical experiences and equips students to deliver evidence-based behavioral healthcare in medically underserved communities while fostering trauma-informed and culturally sensitive care. Furthermore, the program’s target population also includes medically underserved communities in the RGV, where students gain hands-on experience addressing healthcare disparities through supervised clinical placements. Specialized coursework, including a focus on Latino Health Issues in Integrated Behavioral Health, further equips trainees to address the unique cultural and health needs of the region.
Partners: The I2PBH initiative partners with the departments of Family Medicine, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, and Rehabilitation Counseling at UTRGV to facilitate interdisciplinary training and curriculum development. Additionally, the program coordinates training opportunities for training with three Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Primary Care Clinics and one mobile clinic, located within Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron, and Willacy counties in the Rio Grande Valley.
Looking Ahead: The I2PBH Initiative is committed to expanding its reach and impact in the coming years. Future goals include increasing student enrollment, developing additional coursework tailored to emerging behavioral health challenges, and strengthening collaborations with teams of interdisciplinary providers across the nation. By continuing to foster a workforce skilled in trauma-informed and culturally adaptive care, the I2PBH Initiative seeks to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of communities in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.
Recommended Citation
George, Deepu; Garza, JoAnna; Hernandez, Maria G.; Cantu Cazares, Yvette K.; Perez, Monica C.; and Perez, Mayrin A., "Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I2PBH) Initiative: Establishing a Multidisciplinary and Innovative Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) Certificate Training Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley" (2025). Research Symposium. 16.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/talks/16
Included in
Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I2PBH) Initiative: Establishing a Multidisciplinary and Innovative Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) Certificate Training Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I2PBH) Initiative aims to establish a Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) certificate pathway that equips the next generation of behavioral health professionals to provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and population-based care. By leveraging evidence-based PCBH Integrated Care, the program addresses critical challenges in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), such as limited access to behavioral health services and increasing behavioral health disparities. This initiative actively promotes health equity by building a sustainable workforce pipeline prepared to serve medically underserved populations and reduce behavioral healthcare disparities in the RGV.
Description: Established in 2019, the I2PBH initiative trains up to six graduate students annually from four mental health disciplines, emphasizing foundational and advanced clinical skills of the PCBH model. The PCBH Certificate Program is a 12‐hour program that trains students to provide behavioral health care in medical settings. This pathway prepares students to serve as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) in primary care settings, meeting practicum and internship requirements. To date, the program has successfully trained a total of 23 program alumni and 11 current and new trainees. Key components of the program include trauma-informed, culturally adaptive coursework, such as Foundations of Integrated Behavioral Health and Clinical Skills for the BHC. Advanced clinical supervision and training incorporate mixed-reality simulations and asynchronous distance learning via virtual platforms like Blackboard and Zoom. This approach focuses on PCBH-specific competencies while providing concurrent primary-care-focused clinical experiences and equips students to deliver evidence-based behavioral healthcare in medically underserved communities while fostering trauma-informed and culturally sensitive care. Furthermore, the program’s target population also includes medically underserved communities in the RGV, where students gain hands-on experience addressing healthcare disparities through supervised clinical placements. Specialized coursework, including a focus on Latino Health Issues in Integrated Behavioral Health, further equips trainees to address the unique cultural and health needs of the region.
Partners: The I2PBH initiative partners with the departments of Family Medicine, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, and Rehabilitation Counseling at UTRGV to facilitate interdisciplinary training and curriculum development. Additionally, the program coordinates training opportunities for training with three Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Primary Care Clinics and one mobile clinic, located within Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron, and Willacy counties in the Rio Grande Valley.
Looking Ahead: The I2PBH Initiative is committed to expanding its reach and impact in the coming years. Future goals include increasing student enrollment, developing additional coursework tailored to emerging behavioral health challenges, and strengthening collaborations with teams of interdisciplinary providers across the nation. By continuing to foster a workforce skilled in trauma-informed and culturally adaptive care, the I2PBH Initiative seeks to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of communities in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.
