On May 21, I had the privilege of presenting at the 2025 Quality Summit in Bowling Green, KY—a key event hosted by the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (KAHCF) and the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities. My session, “Mental Health 101, Suicide Prevention & De-escalation Strategies,” was designed to address a critical and growing need in long-term care: improving behavioral health care through education, practical skills, and intentional culture change.
Sponsored by Medline Industries, this training reached a diverse group of professionals working in skilled nursing and assisted living settings. It also aligned with Kentucky’s new Medicaid Nursing Home Quality Incentive Program, which supports facilities that invest in improving resident outcomes through targeted staff training.
What made this session especially impactful was the engagement with the audience. They clearly understood that mental health isn’t a “bonus skill” in nursing facilities—it’s central to quality care. When direct care teams are equipped with practical tools and compassionate frameworks, outcomes improve not only for residents but for the workforce itself.
If you’re part of a facility or organization looking to implement behavioral health training, I’d love to connect.
