TRAINING
There are seventy-six million Americans suffering from chronic pain who are not receiving the treatment they need. Many fall between the cracks in their own private health insurance, workman’s compensation and disability benefits. Others are helpless because of a lack of insurance. The common thread is the lack of appropriate treatment for chronic pain.
The majority of medical practitioners and mental health professionals lack the knowledge and understanding of chronic pain and as a result sufferers are not receiving the care they desperately need.
Pain Connection offers workshops and trainings to both mental health professionals interested in/or working with chronic pain clients and to non professionals interested in learning new ways of coping with pain. This program educates professionals to recognize the signs of chronic pain, learn specific skills and design treatment plans for chronic pain sufferers.
The Healthcare Initiative Foundation has awarded Pain Connection a grant to increase the pool of trained mental health professionals to meet the unique psychosocial needs of chronic pain sufferers and their families in Montgomery County.
A chronic pain training manual and CD for health care professionals will be published that will be used to train trainers, at presentations for in-service staff trainings at county and community agencies, educational talks, and speakers series.
There will be two week-end trainings held in 2009. Scholarships will be given to selected individuals after successfully completing the training that commit to running a monthly support group for one year.
New specialized support groups will be developed, such as, Guided Imagery and Meditation, Spanish and Chinese speaking groups. These new groups will reach out to community residents and help to empower chronic pain sufferers and their families
This grant supports Pain Connection in expanding its training program to improve the quality of life of chronic pain sufferers, their families and the community.