¶ Introduction to FlexCare Model
Hey everyone , I'm Dr Linton Hutchinson .
And I'm Eric Tworkman and I was looking at the old mailbag today and Katie a regular listener who must be frozen by now because she's living in Gloucester , massachusetts , gloucester sorry , it's Glasta sorry is studying for her licensure exam , and she emailed about a therapy that she'd never heard of before , about her graduate counseling program , and asked for some
clarification . So we're excited to talk with you today about something that's really changing the approach in mental health care the FlexCare model .
Well , before we jump into the deep end of the pool . Well , before we jump into the deep end of the pool , let's break down the FlexCare model actually , and what it is Simply put , it's a dynamic approach to mental health care that adapts to each client's unique needs , circumstances and preferences .
Think of it as a customizable treatment plan that can shift and change as your client does Right-o . It's like having a GPS on your phone that recalculates the route whenever you need it , making sure that your client reaches their mental health goals in the way that works best for them .
You know what's really awesome about this model Ez ? It shows up differently for each client . Sometimes it might mean offering both in-person and online sessions , or adjusting how often you meet based on what is happening right then and there in their lives .
Right , and it's not just about session format . You might find yourself working with a team that expands or shrinks depending on what your client needs . One week you might be coordinating with their primary care doctor , and then the next you're bringing in a nutritionist or a career counselor .
Let's walk through how this actually works . First up is the initial assessment phase . But don't let the formal name fool you . It's really just about getting to know your client , understanding their situation and figuring out what matters most to them .
Right , like being a detective , but in a friendly way . You're gathering all the pieces together their medical history , current mental health challenges what's going on in their life and where they want to be .
Then comes the planning phase . This is where you and your client create a treatment plan together , but , unlike traditional plans that are pretty much set in stone , these are more like guidelines that can bend and flex depending on how things change .
Oh , flex , Sort of like how I've noticed you think traffic lights are mere suggestions . Well , you got it . Az Well , that's why I stay off the road when you're driving . The implementation phase is where the rubber meets the road . See what I did there .
You're putting everything into action , but always keeping an eye on how things are going and making tweaks as needed .
And throughout all of this , you're constantly evaluating , not in a rigid formal way , but more like checking in regularly to ensure everything's working just how they should Right .
So let's talk about some of the tools associated with this model . Like having a Swiss Army knife , except with therapy approaches You've got different tools and you pick the right one for each situation . Different tools and you pick the right one for each situation .
The therapeutic approach within this model emphasizes adaptability and personalization , while maintaining evidence-based practices Exactly .
One of our key approaches is ACT , acceptance and commitment therapy , which I hope you've studied as it can show up on your licensing exam . Think of it as helping clients be present in the moment , accepting their thoughts and feelings without getting stuck , and it keeps them moving towards their goals even when things get really , really tough .
Which goes along with the motivational interviewing , which is all about having meaningful conversations about what changes the client themselves want to make and what might be holding them back , like being a supportive coach rather than the directive expert .
Mm-hmm . Well , here's something I love about this model , Eric it's all about putting the client in the driver's seat .
The client-centered approach means following their leads and adjusting your methods to fit their life , and we use care mapping , which sounds all fancy schmancy but is really just a way to keep track of all the moving parts of the client's care .
You create a detailed care pathway that can be adapted based on client needs , while maintaining communication channels between all those team members we talked about . It helps that you'll ensure everybody's on the same page , but so nothing falls through the cracks , and that shared decision-making facilitates collaborative care planning .
You'll present treatment options , discuss potential benefits and risks , then incorporate client preferences into care decisions using the various decision aids and tools .
Right , and we've got some really helpful assessment tools in the FlexCare model for checking how things are going . One of my favorites is the patient activation measure , which helps us understand how confident a client feels in managing their own mental health . It also provides insights into engagement levels and identifies areas that need additional support .
Which one do you prefer , eric ?
Well , I like the Care Transitions Measure as a great way to ensure clients feel supported when they move between different types of care or they work with different team members , like having a safety net to catch any potential gaps . And , of course , the functional independence measure , which helps assessing clients functional status and independence in daily activities .
Right , it can guide care planning , resource allocation and provides objective measures for progress . So if you're asked , say on a licensing exam , about the FlexCare model , remember patient activation measure . Care transition measure . Functional independence measure .
Okay , now let's share a short case study about a client named Sandy . She came to therapy feeling completely overwhelmed with balancing work and life , plus dealing with intense daily anxiety . Using the FlexCare model , we first assessed her situation inside and out . Then , knowing she had an overwhelming schedule , we set up a mixture of in-person and online sessions .
And the cool thing was it could be adjusted as things went along . We switched to more online sessions . When she had a particularly busy month at work and when she was going through some more intensive challenges , we increased the frequency of the in-person Well .
Exactly and by staying flexible and responsive , sandy was able to develop coping strategies that actually fit into her real life . Along the way , we checked her progress using the assessments we mentioned earlier , and she didn't have to completely reorganize her schedule or life to make therapy work Therapy again adapted to her .
Right . So what are the big takeaways from all this ?
Well , first off , the FlexCare model is all about combining personalization with practicality . It's like having a custom fit solution that can still work with the real world constraints of clients' busy lives .
And it's about meeting clients where they are , both literally and figuratively . Sometimes that means online , sometimes in person , sometimes a mix Key is staying adaptable while maintaining quality care , like you're always going on about with your public sushi .
Yep Ky really does maintain quality care and keeping that salmon wasabi ratio in check .
Well , it's making me hungry just thinking about all that quality care you get .
Well , the research supports that too . The research about sushi Well , that too , yeah .
So when we're using the flexible approach , we see better engagement and better outcomes , and here's what I think is really game-changing about what we've been talking about . The approach makes therapy accessible to anybody who would otherwise face insurmountable barriers due to their scheduling constraints or geographic location .
It really makes it so that more people can get the mental health care they need .
Well , thanks for joining us today . Everyone , Remember , just like we want our clients to be flexible and adaptable , we need to bring the same spirit to how we deliver therapy .
Amen . So until next time . Keep growing and adapting in your practice and remember so until next time . Keep growing and adapting in your practice . And remember there's no one size fits all in therapy . So don't be afraid to be flexible and to adjust as you need to . And remember it's in there , it's in there .