Free mental health training in Tucson

El Rio Health, a federally qualified health center in Tucson, AZ, is the recipient of our first-ever Pediatric Mental Health Training Award. The award funds training in children’s mental health for centers that provide healthcare in low-income and underserved communities.


Through this award, up to 50 El Rio pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) will participate in the REACH course Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care. This training is valued at $92,000.


El Rio Health has 14 sites in underserved barrios (neighborhoods) on the south and west sides of Tucson. It provides care to more than 49,000 children per year, many of whom are enrolled in Medicaid. As in most underserved neighborhoods, mental health professionals are in short supply. El Rio will use the REACH course to train PCPs to diagnose and treat common mental health issues in its pediatric population. 

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REACH in the news

  • REACH faculty member Patty Gibson, MD, is extensively quoted in an article in the Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society, “Behavioral Health: Integrating Mental Health in Primary Care.” Various Arkansas physicians share how REACH’s course Adult Behavioral Health in Primary Care has transformed their practice.
  • A Duke University School of Medicine article features the REACH course Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care. Duke licenses our content and trains its pediatric providers as part of the statewide NC-PAL initiative to improve access to mental health care.

When and how to send kids to the emergency room

Suicidal ideation is high among teenagers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18.8% of teenagers reported having considered suicide in 2019, though only 2.5% required medical intervention after a suicide attempt.

sad trans teen

In our November blog, REACH faculty member Amy Dryer, MD, discusses a common dilemma: When and how to send kids to the emergency room.

Upcoming trainings

Pediatric primary care providers: Join us on January 28 for CBT for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care. In this full-day virtual workshop, you'll learn how to use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to help children and teens who suffer from anxiety. Four follow-up case-based calls will solidify the learning. Faculty members include a mental health professional and a pediatric clinician.

Register now for CBT for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care


So far we have announced dates for six sessions of Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care in 2023. This course teaches pediatricians and other primary care providers to diagnose and treat common mental health conditions.

  • January 27-29, virtual
  • March 17-19, in person, West Palm Beach, FL
  • April 28-30, virtual
  • July 28-30, virtual
  • September 29 to October 1, in person, Houston, TX
  • November 3-5, virtual


Don’t delay! We limit registrations to keep the learning interactive, and sessions typically sell out weeks or even months in advance. 

Register for Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care

A note from our CEO

Lisa Hunter Romanelli, PhD

CEO, The REACH Institute

People of many faiths and none celebrate holidays in December. For many, these celebrations and the attendant preparations are joyous. 


At the same time, the holidays can be stressful. There’s too much to do in too little time! Others are counting on me! I have to go to events I don’t like! Meanwhile, people who are mourning or suffering from illness or injury can find other people’s joy jarring, a sad reminder of what they cannot feel. 


Any mental health professional will tell you that now, more than ever, is a time to take care of yourself. How many of these obligations really are “have-to’s”? Look for what gives you joy or comfort. Discard as much as you can of the rest.


And keep an eye on the children. Some of them are suffering too. Your hug, your listening ear, your quiet presence may be just what they need.

The REACH Institute | Website
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