Panel Discussions
Workforce Development / Training / Supervision
Sean A. Lauderdale, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce, Texas
Adam P. McGuire, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas at Tyler
Chandler, Texas
Lisa Pote, MSW
Executive Director
Beck Institute
Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania
Joseph Keifer, Psy.D., RN
Staff Psychologist and Registered Nurse
Beck Institute
Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania
Ann M. Steffen, ABPP, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychological Sciences
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri
Georganna R. Sedlar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Washington, Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Most behavioral health clinicians are educated and licensed at the master's level and come from varied disciplines (e.g., nursing, social work, counseling psychology, clinical psychology). These providers are essential to a public mental health response to emergencies and disasters. As a multidisciplinary association, ABCT aims to support behavioral and cognitive science and practice within terminal MA-level programs. Implementation of CBT within community and healthcare settings also requires attention to licensed MA-level clinicians who are often at the frontline of community response to emergencies and disasters. This panel brings together presenters with expertise in the education, supervision, and professional training of master's level behavioral health providers. Panelists were chosen who represent varied disciplinary backgrounds and different academic and training programs for master’s-level practitioners. Initial discussions will focus on strategies used to increase coverage of CBT within terminal master’s graduate programs. Next, professional training and consultation programs will be described that support CBT skill development and use among licensed social workers. This will be followed by a description of training and consultation to advance implementation of Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) by nurses and other medical providers. The creation of intervention materials that are ready for use during disasters is enhanced by user-centered design. This panel discussion will provide an example of how master’s-level clinicians were essential to the revision of a Treatments ThatWork client workbook. These workbook revision processes were aimed at enhancing the utility of the later-life depression treatment materials in both “regular” practice and in times of public health emergencies such as COVID-19. Finally, a panelist will share information about ABCT’s Master's Level Clinical Training and Practice SIG and opportunities to become involved. In summary, our panel is aimed at fostering interprofessional dialogue about these important facets of education and training, while also creating a welcoming space for conference attendees who are licensed at the master’s level.