Welcome to Lesson 1 of Module 1. In this lesson, we’ll explore the most common mental health conditions encountered in long-term care and review key regulatory requirements related to behavioral health. You’ll gain a clear understanding of the conditions you’re likely to see and what CMS and state regulations expect for documentation and care.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Common mental health conditions in LTC populations
✅ Regulatory expectations for behavioral health assessment and care
✅ How regulatory compliance intersects with resident-centered care
Documenting behaviors accurately is critical for compliance, quality outcomes, and effective care planning. This lesson focuses on practical strategies for observing, analyzing, and documenting resident behaviors, including de-escalation interventions.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ How to observe and assess resident behaviors systematically
✅ Techniques for documenting incidents, interventions, and outcomes
✅ Integrating behavioral documentation into the resident record
Once behaviors are assessed and documented, it’s time to translate your observations into individualized, actionable care plans. This lesson covers how to design care plans that address both behavioral and physical health needs.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Strategies for creating individualized care plans
✅ Integrating behavioral observations into care interventions
✅ Examples of effective, regulatory-compliant care plans
Learn regulatory expectations for psychotropic medications in LTC and the clinical rationale for their use.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ CMS regulations for psychotropics
✅ Monitoring resident outcomes
✅ Clinical indications for gradual dose reduction (GDR)
This lesson covers strategies for safely implementing GDR programs, monitoring progress, and documenting appropriately.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ Steps for initiating GDR
✅ Monitoring and documentation requirements
✅ Case study application
Welcome to Lesson 1 of Module 3. In this lesson, we’ll cover the fundamentals of substance use disorders in long-term care, including characteristics, severity, impact on residents, and typical signs and symptoms. You’ll also learn evidence-based strategies for treatment and levels of care appropriate for the LTC population.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Definition and types of substance use disorders
✅ Characteristics, risks, and severity classifications
✅ Signs and symptoms in the LTC population
✅ Impact on resident care and facility outcomes
✅ Overview of treatment strategies and levels of care
This lesson reviews the regulatory landscape surrounding substance use disorders in long-term care. You’ll learn which federal regulations apply, how to document discussions and interventions appropriately, and strategies for compliance.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Key federal regulations related to SUD in LTC
✅ Documentation expectations for assessments, interventions, and communication
✅ Compliance strategies to meet surveyor expectations
Effective SUD management requires actionable interventions that are resident-specific and integrated into the care team’s workflow. This lesson explores individualized care strategies, behavior contracts, staff education, communication approaches, and care coordination to optimize outcomes.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Designing individualized interventions for residents with SUD
✅ Using behavior contracts to reinforce treatment goals
✅ Educating staff and improving team communication
✅ Coordinating care across the interdisciplinary team
In this final lesson of Module 3, we’ll walk through two case studies that demonstrate how to identify, assess, and manage residents with substance use disorders in the LTC setting. Using screening tools, assessment strategies, and individualized interventions, you’ll practice applying regulatory requirements and care planning approaches in a real-world context.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ How to use screening tools and assessments for residents with SUD
✅ Step-by-step walkthroughs of two LTC-specific case studies
✅ How to select interventions and create individualized care plans
✅ Key treatment resources for staff and facility use
Welcome to Lesson 1 of Module 4. In this lesson, we’ll explore the essential staff competencies required for behavioral health and dementia care, including de-escalation techniques. You’ll learn the most effective methods for evaluating staff skills, from observation and simulations to knowledge-based testing.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Core competencies for behavioral health and dementia care
✅ How to evaluate staff skills through observation, simulation, and testing
✅ Documentation of competency assessments
Competency assessment should be a driver for continuous quality improvement. In this lesson, we’ll explore how to integrate staff competency evaluations into QAPI processes to identify gaps, target training, and sustain behavioral health improvements.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ How to analyze competency results for QAPI planning
✅ Linking staff education to performance improvement initiatives
✅ Using real-world case examples to guide sustainable change
Welcome to Lesson 1 of Module 5. In this lesson, we’ll review the core principles of trauma-informed care and how trauma affects residents in LTC settings. You’ll learn how to recognize trauma triggers and strategies for promoting psychological safety.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Prevalence and impact of trauma in LTC
✅ Core principles of trauma-informed care
✅ Recognizing and responding to trauma triggers
This lesson focuses on applying trauma-informed principles to the assessment and care planning process. You’ll explore strategies for trauma-sensitive resident assessments and individualized care planning that promotes well-being and safety.
What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
✅ Best practices for trauma-sensitive assessments
✅ How to incorporate trauma-informed principles into care planning
✅ Examples of trauma-informed interventions in LTC