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Alexander Blount

Antioch University New England

Dr. Blount is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Co-Director of the Center for Behavioral Health Innovation at Antioch. He is leading the development of a Major Area of Study in Clinical Health Psychology within the Department. Behavioral Health Integration is the process in making behavioral health services a part of the basic care provided in primary care around the country. It combines mental health, substance abuse, and health behavior change skills to allow primary care settings to offer whole person care. The Affordable Care Act has promoted the centrality of primary care and behavioral health integration as the most important changes in the structure of healthcare of the current time. The demand for psychologists competent to be part of a care team in primary care is growing exponentially and Antioch is at the forefront of training to meet this demand.

Dr. Blount comes from a position as Professor of Family Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School where he founded and directed the Center for Integrated Primary Care. Dr. Blount has been practicing, as a clinician, trainer, administrator, author, teacher and consultant for 40 years. He has been a behavioral health clinician in primary care for almost 20 of those years. He is a member of the National Integration Academy Council guiding the Integration Academy of the Agency for Health Research and Quality (http://integrationacademy.ahrq.gov). His books include Integrated Primary Care: The Future of Medical and Mental Health Collaboration, published by W. W. Norton. He is Past President of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, a national multidisciplinary organization promoting the inclusion of mental health services in medical settings and he is past Editor of Families, Systems and Health, the Journal of Collaborative Family Healthcare.

Educational History

EdD, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Hall, J., Cohen, D. J., Davis, M., Gunn, R., Blount, A., Pollack, D. A., Miller, W. L., Smith, C., Valentine, N., and Miller, B. F. (2015). Preparing the Workforce for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration. J Am Board Fam Med September-October 2015 28:S41-S51

Blount, A., (2015). Unrounding the corners of collaborative family healthcare. Families, Systems, & Health, 33, 102-103.

Blount, A. (2013). Getting mental healthcare where it is needed. Families, Systems, & Health: 31, 117-118.

Blount, A., Schoenbaum, M., Kathol, R., Rollman, B., Thomas, M. O’Donohue, W., & Peek, C.J. (2007). The economics of behavioral health services in medical settings: A summary of the evidence. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38, 290-297.

Blount, A., DeGirolamo, S. & Mariani, K. (2006). Training the collaborative care practitioners of the future. Families, Systems, & Health, 24, 111-119.

Developments in Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care. Population Health Management Network, VHA Southeast, Birmingham, AL, 2015

“Implementing the Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care.” Talk to the members of the Mental Health Integration Initiative of the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care, 2015

“Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care.” Community Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Boston University Medical School, Codman Square Health Center, Boston, MA, 2014

“Integrating Behavioral Health in Primary Care.” Course for Medical Directors, National Association of Community Health Centers, Boston, MA, 2014

“The Necessity for Integrating Behavioral Health in Primary Care.”   Webinar for the staffs of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and the Centers for Disease Control, 2014

“Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care: Can We Catch the Wave?” Plenary Address, Behavioral Health Provider Coalition of Cape Cod & the Islands Conference, Hyannis, MA, 2014

“Developments in the Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care.” Keynote Address, Annual Summer Institute Conference, Arizona State University, Prescott, AZ, 2014

“Training and Clinical Strategies for Building Integrated Primary Care.” University of Texas Dept. of Psychology Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology, Austin, 2014

“Implementing Behavioral Health Screening in Primary Care” Training for practices in the Massachusetts Primary Care Payment Reform, 2014

2015: Alexander Blount Award for Excellence in Behavioral Science created by the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School to be given annually to one resident in Family Medicine.

2011: Don Bloch Award, Collaborative Family Healthcare Association – One given annually for singular achievement in fostering collaborative healthcare.

2010: Appointed to the National Integration Academy Council Academy for the Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Advocacy and Impact

  • 2014: Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. Consulted on design of Integrated Primary Care.Mass. Health Primary Care Payment Reform technical assistance team. Designed the clinical model behind the current Medicaid payment reform in MA.
  • 2013: Rhode Island Legislature’s Commission on BH Integration and Primary Care Trusts Offices and Activities 2014-present National Advisory Board for the Integration of Behavioral Health and Psychology Department, University of Texas, Austin, TX

Offices and Activities

  • 2014-present
    National Advisory Board for the Integration of Behavioral Health and Psychology Department, University of Texas, Austin, TX
  • 2013-present
    Advisory Board Members for the Rosenwald Mental Health Integration Initiative, Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care
  • 2012-present
    Chair the Experts Committee studying Competencies displayed by the Exemplars of Integrated Primary Care in ARHQ project
  • 2011-2013
    Committee designing clinical model for the Mass Health       Primary Care Payment Reform Initiative
  • 2010-present
    Committee for Integration of Primary Care and Behavioral Health Mass Health Patient Centered Medical Home InitiativeNational Integration Academy Council (NIAC) Member   NIAC is governing body for the Academy for the Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and QualityMember of Leadership Team, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
  • 2005-2008
    President, Collaborative Family Healthcare Association
  • 1999-2009
    Board of Directors, Collaborative Family Healthcare Association

Academic Appointments

  • 2014-present
    Department of Family Medicine and Community Health University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
  • 2011 to present
    Professor Department of Psychiatry University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA

Licenses

  • 2014-present
    Licensed as a Psychologist in New Hampshire
  • 1998-present
    Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology
  • 1978-present
    Listed in the National Register of Health Care Providers in Psychology
  • 1977-present
    Licensed as a Psychologist in Massachusetts

Professional Affiliations

  • Collaborative Family Healthcare Association – Member
  • American Psychological Association – Life Member
  • Society of Teachers of Family Medicine – Member

Professor,

Clinical Psychology

CONTACT INFORMATION

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