Upstate Mental Health REACH Initiative

Upstate Mental Health REACH Initiative Empowering primary care providers in New York State to confidently diagnose and treat mild-to-moderate mental health disorders

The Upstate Mental Health REACH Initiative is a free educational program founded in 2022 by the SUNY Upstate Medical University Department of Psychiatry and funded by the Patrick Lee Foundation and the Mother Cabrini Foundation. REACH Initiative aims to increase the competencies of primary care providers in diagnosing and treating the mental health disorders most commonly seen in their practice. Each REACH cycle consists of a one-day intensive workshop followed by 10 weekly virtual Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) sessions. The program is free for all participants, and the intensive workshop is awarded 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Each ECHO session is awarded 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. We are proud to have served over 300 participants from over 51 New York counties. To learn about attending our next workshop, visit us at https://www.upstate.edu/psych/education/reach.php

Happening Tomorrow! 📢Get ready for an insightful session with Dr. Ajagbe as we dive into the use of medication for Opioi...
10/21/2025

Happening Tomorrow! 📢
Get ready for an insightful session with Dr. Ajagbe as we dive into the use of medication for Opioid Use Disorder in primary care.

This professional discussion is a valuable opportunity for NYS healthcare providers to strengthen their approach to treating patients with substance use challenges.

🗓 Tomorrow – Wednesday, October 22
🕛 12:00 PM EST
📍 Join us via the link below

We encourage all interested practitioners to attend — let’s grow and learn together!

👉 https://echo.zoom.us/j/735931981?pwd=Tk5VYmNyMndOZmM2V1NIQkpSdFMxZz09

🚨 Don't forget! Tomorrow, October 15th at 12 PM ET, join us for an important session with Theresa Baxter, MS FNP-BC CARN...
10/14/2025

🚨 Don't forget! Tomorrow, October 15th at 12 PM ET, join us for an important session with Theresa Baxter, MS FNP-BC CARN-AP. She’ll be sharing insights on Understanding the Medical Side of SUDs: Assessment Strategies. It’s a great chance for NYS providers to learn practical approaches and better support patients with substance use disorders. Make sure to tune in!

Join the session below:
https://echo.zoom.us/j/735931981?pwd=Tk5VYmNyMndOZmM2V1NIQkpSdFMxZz09

📅 Save the date! Join us this Wednesday, October 8th at 12 PM ET for an insightful session on effective psychotherapeuti...
10/06/2025

📅 Save the date! Join us this Wednesday, October 8th at 12 PM ET for an insightful session on effective psychotherapeutic approaches to treating Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Led by Thomas Ringwood, NP — a highly regarded expert in addiction and pain medicine — this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss.

Designed specifically for NYS primary care providers, this session will help you build vital skills, increase your confidence, and improve outcomes for your patients. Whether you're a clinician, therapist, or healthcare professional, you'll gain practical knowledge to make a real impact.

Don’t miss out — see you then via Zoom:
https://echo.zoom.us/j/735931981?pwd=Tk5VYmNyMndOZmM2V1NIQkpSdFMxZz09

🚨 Attention NYS providers! 🚨Join us tomorrow, September 24th at 12 PM ET for an important ECHO session with Dr. Zsuzsa M...
09/23/2025

🚨 Attention NYS providers! 🚨
Join us tomorrow, September 24th at 12 PM ET for an important ECHO session with Dr. Zsuzsa Meszaros, focusing on strategies for effective smoking cessation. 💡

Enhance your skills and better support your patients in their journey to quit smoking.

🔗 Click here to join: https://echo.zoom.us/j/735931981?pwd=Tk5VYmNyMndOZmM2V1NIQkpSdFMxZz09

🌟 We're excited to kick off the fall ECHO series! Join us for our first virtual session tomorrow, September 17th at 12 P...
09/16/2025

🌟 We're excited to kick off the fall ECHO series! Join us for our first virtual session tomorrow, September 17th at 12 PM ET, featuring Dr. Thomas Schwartz. He’ll be sharing important insights on understanding the addicted brain — a must-attend for NYS providers looking to enhance their knowledge and improve patient care.

Mark your calendar and don’t miss out! 🧠

Click below to join:
https://echo.zoom.us/j/735931981?pwd=Tk5VYmNyMndOZmM2V1NIQkpSdFMxZz09

🙏 HUGE thank you to all our wonderful participants! Your enthusiasm and dedication made this workshop truly special. We ...
09/13/2025

🙏 HUGE thank you to all our wonderful participants! Your enthusiasm and dedication made this workshop truly special. We appreciate your commitment to advancing mental health care in our community. Looking forward to continuing this journey together!

🌟 We just wrapped up a fantastic workshop with The Upstate Mental Health REACH Initiative! 🌟A big thank you to the SUNY ...
09/13/2025

🌟 We just wrapped up a fantastic workshop with The Upstate Mental Health REACH Initiative! 🌟

A big thank you to the SUNY Upstate Medical University Department of Psychiatry Faculty, the Patrick Lee Foundation, and the Mother Cabrini Foundation for providing this valuable learning experience. We're excited to see how the new skills and knowledge in diagnosing and treating substance use disorders will enhance the practices of our dedicated community-focused providers. Can't wait for the next event!

Stay connected with us here:
https://www.upstate.edu/psych/education/reach.php

Listening to a fantastic session led by Dr. Zsuzsa Meszaros on Motivational Interviewing in primary care. She emphasizes...
09/13/2025

Listening to a fantastic session led by Dr. Zsuzsa Meszaros on Motivational Interviewing in primary care. She emphasizes that “ambivalence is a natural part of change, and working through it is a key goal of MI.” Her practical tips on building rapport, handling resistance, and motivating patients are invaluable for addressing addiction and supporting lasting change—even in busy clinical settings. A great reminder of how empathy and effective communication can truly make a difference!

We are grateful to REACH program director and physician-scientist Dr. Nevena Radonjić, MD, PhD, for her impactful presen...
09/13/2025

We are grateful to REACH program director and physician-scientist Dr. Nevena Radonjić, MD, PhD, for her impactful presentation. Her insights into how early life stress may act as a shared pathway increasing vulnerability to both mood and substance use disorders were truly enlightening. She emphasized that “Differentiating primary mood disorder from substance-induced mood disorder can guide treatment recommendations and improve treatment outcomes,” highlighting the critical importance of accurate diagnosis in clinical practice.

Grateful to Dr. Pratik Jain for sharing his expertise on substance-induced mood and anxiety disorders. His insights on d...
09/13/2025

Grateful to Dr. Pratik Jain for sharing his expertise on substance-induced mood and anxiety disorders. His insights on differentiating these conditions, evaluation during different phases, and evidence-based treatments are invaluable. As he emphasizes, "When treating a primary mood disorder with co-occurring substance use, we can't view them as separate issues. An integrated approach is essential."

🌟 Zuri Williams, MD Candidate, leads an engaging activity focused on applying evidence-based recommendations for the tre...
09/13/2025

🌟 Zuri Williams, MD Candidate, leads an engaging activity focused on applying evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder in everyday practice. Participants explore current clinical guidelines on screening for AUD and learned how to select appropriate pharmacological interventions tailored to patient-specific factors.

Kudos to Zuri for her leadership and dedication to advancing clinical practice! 👩‍⚕️

☝️ Division Chief of Addiction Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate, Dr. Tolani Ajagbe, shares essential strategies for managing A...
09/13/2025

☝️ Division Chief of Addiction Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate, Dr. Tolani Ajagbe, shares essential strategies for managing Alcohol Use Disorder in primary care. Key methods include SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment), FDA-approved medications, and other treatment options. Early detection and intervention are crucial for success.

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