• Upon successful completion, participants were issued relevant CME credits

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), and New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) joined forces to host a comprehensive, accredited mental health skills course in the primary care setting. The program was carried out with a participation of a wide group of experts and healthcare professionals.

The Mental Health Upskilling Program 2022 included five interactive in-person workshops to help equip primary care physicians, nurses, and care coordinators with practical behavioral medicine therapeutic tools and techniques. Upon successful completion of the course and final evaluation, participants were issued a certificate and relevant CME credits.

HE Hind Mubarak Al Zaabi, Executive Director of Healthcare Facilities Sector from the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “In line with the Department’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the mental and physical well-being of Abu Dhabi’s population, we are pleased to endorse and facilitate similar initiatives that upskill the healthcare workforce in the Emirate. More than ever before, we realize the importance of mental well-being and its long-term impact on the community. As the regulator of the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi, we are committed to improving the quality of life of our population and empowering healthcare providers to ensure the availability of an integrated healthcare system that offers world-class healthcare services.”

Course Director and Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Director of Counseling at NYUAD Health Center Dr. Vedrana Mladinal           highlighted: “In alignment with DoH’s strategic plan to meet mental healthcare needs in the Emirate, the course helps integrate mental healthcare services into the busy primary care office setting. The NYUAD Health Center’s holistic healthcare delivery model follows this principle by integrating specialized mental health care into primary care for students.”

The course structure includes in-person sessions, required readings, participation in real case discussions, and a final written evaluation. Some of the course topics include ‘The pandemic of mental illness and need for an integrated model of care’, ‘Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression’, ‘Suicide and self-harm risk assessment and safety planning’, and ‘Self-care and burnout prevention for primary care practitioner, among others. The course includes post-course follow-up and supervision.

Dr. Ghanem Al Hassani / Group Education Director from SEHA said: “Primary care physicians are the professionals’ patients seek help from first. Therefore, we need to provide them with the tools to guide their decision-making as soon as they notice degradation in a patient’s behavior. Each session in the Mental Health Upskilling Program 2022 will include an informative module focused on a high-yield behavioral medicine topic along with interactive elements and role plays and will be delivered by renowned names in the industry. It will help primary care physicians access the necessary resources to diagnose mental health conditions early on before they cause more complications for the patient.”

The Mental Health Upskilling Program 2022 was                conducted by experts in the field such as Dr. Vedrana Mladina, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Director of Counseling at NYUAD Health Center, Dr. Ayaz Virji, Executive Medical Director of the Health Center at NYUAD, Dr. Tai R. Broach, Associate Professor of Practice in Psychology at Zayed University, Taregh Shaban, Lecturer in Psychology at the Department of Cognitive Sciences, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain.

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About SEHA:

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the UAE's largest integrated healthcare platform.

SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 3,000 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 3 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients.

SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 14,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae