Addressing Behavioral Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Patients with HIV and the Health Care Team

Francine Cournos, MD
Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Co-Principal Investigator
Northeast/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (NECA AETC)
Columbia University, New York, NY



CME VIDEOTop of page

How to Obtain CME Credit:Top of page

About the Presenter:Top of page

Francine Cournos, M.D. is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry (in Epidemiology) at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and Co-Principal Investigator of the Northeast/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center. Over the past 37 years, she has engaged in clinical work and obtained research and training grants focused on the interface of HIV infection and behavioral health conditions. She has extensive local, national and international experience in projects focused on integrating mental health care and psychosocial supports into HIV care, including projects in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and South Africa. Dr. Cournos has participated in HIV and behavioral health clinical practice guidelines for the New York State AIDS Institute, the American Psychiatric Association, the US National HIV Curriculum, and the World Health Organization. She has published more than 160 articles and book chapters, primarily on HIV and mental health, and has educated thousands of health care providers on this topic.

Learning Objectives: Top of page

At the completion of this educational session, learners will:

  • Utilize findings from the peer-reviewed literature to respond to the behavioral health needs of patients with HIV and their health care providers.
  • Differentiate between mental distress and mental disorders.
  • Employ the World Health Organization Pyramid of Mental Health Services to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Practice behavioral health strategies that require little or no behavioral health training.

CME Information:Top of page


This CME activity has approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for January 13, 2021 as a live activity.  This activity will also be available as an enduring activity from January 14, 2021, through January 12, 2024.

The target audience is all physicians, NPs and PAs involved or interested in HIV education.

This online video and post-activity evaluation are one hour in length.

Accreditation Statement:Top of page


This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) and the Physicians’ Research Network (PRN). MSSNY is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Medical Society of the State of New York designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Statement:Top of page

Policies and standards of the Medical Society of the State of New York and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education require that speakers and planners for continuing medical education activities disclose any relevant financial relationships they may have with commercial interests whose products, devices, or services may be discussed in the content of a CME activity. - Dr. James F. Braun, DO (Course Director) has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. - Dr. William M. Valenti (Moderator) has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. - Dr. Francine Cournos (Presenter) has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. Dr. Cournos will support her presentation and clinical recommendations with the best available evidence from the medical literature and will submit her slides in advance for adequate peer review.

Financial Support:Top of page

This PRN CME activity is funded in part by unrestricted educational grants from: Gilead Sciences; Janssen Therapeutics, a division of Janssen Products, LP; Merck & Co.; and ViiV Healthcare

How to Obtain CME Credit:Top of page

Click here to take the CME Evaluation and Post-Meeting Evaluation

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