Self-management is now recognized as an important part of bipolar disorder (BD) care in all major treatment guidelines, however, numerous barriers exist to accessing psychosocial services that can offer self-management information and support. Smartphone applications (apps) can enhance access to and delivery of self-management interventions. While a number of promising research-led app development projects have been initiated, they are not yet widely available. Interested users are therefore required to select from the >10,000 mental health apps available in the public app marketplace, which have noted limitations in terms of their credibility, efficacy, and privacy. Clinicians may play an important role in safeguarding individuals with BD from inappropriate apps. To support healthcare providers in identifying and evaluating apps to support self-management in BD, this webinar will review core components of BD self-management, the current state of apps for BD, and practical resources/strategies to navigate the public app marketplace. 

Format

Recorded webinar, non-interactive, self-paced distance learning activity with post-test.

This presentation was recorded on September 1, 2022.

Learning Objectives

• Summarize the role of self-management in bipolar disorders treatment 
• Identify opportunities and challenges relevant to the use of smartphone apps for bipolar self-management 
• Apply strategies for identifying appropriate and trustworthy smartphone apps to support bipolar self-management 

Outline  

• Role of self-management 
• Unmet needs and smartphone apps 
• Status of app marketplace 
• Introduction to app evaluation
• Attendee Q&A 

Target Audience

Counselor, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, Peer Specialist/Peer Support, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Social Worker 

Instructional Level

Introductory

Estimate Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour 
Program Start Date: September 6, 2022  
Program End Date: September 6, 2025

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board

After completing the course, engage with colleagues in the mental health field through SMI Adviser's Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board. This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar. Access through the discussion tab.

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, CE credit for psychologists, CE credit for social workers, or a certificate of participation may do so by viewing the live presentation and completing the evaluation. Participants claiming CE credit for psychologists and those claiming CE credit for social workers, must have full attendance to claim credit. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians), CE certificate (psychologists), CE certificate (social workers) or certificate of participation (other disciplines) showing the event date and hours earned.

Continuing Education Credit

Physicians 

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Psychologists 

The American Psychiatric Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. American Psychiatric Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

Social Workers  

American Psychiatric Association, provider #1743, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. American Psychiatric Association maintains responsibility for this course.  

ACE provider approval period: 05/18/2021 - 05/18/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 continuing education credits. 

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

Instructor

• Emma Morton, PhD completed her PhD and clinical training as a psychologist at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, where she was awarded the Iain Wallace Research for the Most Outstanding Doctorate Student. Dr. Morton presently works as a Canadian Institute of Health Research Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, Canada. She is a network member of the Collaborative Research Team to Study Psychosocial Issues in Bipolar Disorder, otherwise known as CREST.BD. Dr. Morton’s research focuses on quality of life and digital tools for people living with mood disorders, and she is currently working with the CREST.BD team to develop and evaluate the PolarUs app for self-management in bipolar disorder. Her work in this field has been honoured with a number of recognitions, including most recently the recipient 2021 Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Gerald L. Klerman Young Investigator Award, and a 2022 International Society of Bipolar Disorders Samuel Gershon Junior Investigator Award. Dr. Morton has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.  

Planners

• Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.  
• Amy Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Cohen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
• John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
• Sherin Khan, LCSW, Thresholds. Ms. Khan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This website requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be:  Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact SMIadviserhelp@psych.org for technical assistance