Project ECHO - Advanced Topics in Therapy - ACT in Action: Fundamental Skills (Spring 2026)

Thursday, May 7, 2026, 8:30 AM - Thursday, June 4, 2026, 9:45 AM, Online

ACT is a transdiagnostic intervention that is being utilized increasingly as an augmentation to other evidence-based strategies or as a brief intervention in addition to its original uses. Recent needs assessment indicated a desire among providers in the community to receive structured learning on this topic. This course will provide an introduction to ACT and its foundational strategies.

Target Audience
The target audience is school-based therapists, masters prepared psychologists, psychiatric NPs, clinical social workers, and clinical counselors.

Session Dates
Thursdays | May 7 - June 4, 2026 | 8:30-9:45 AM (ET)

Featured Faculty
Shivali Sarawgi, PhD
Dr. Sarawgi is a licensed psychologist and assistant professor in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology (BMCP) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She provides direct clinical care as a part of BMCP’s outpatient mental health services with a focus on exposure-based intervention as well as family and group-based services through Regulating Together and the Fragile X Clinic. Dr. Sarawgi has published peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters, and practice guidelines on OCD, anxiety, ASD, and exposure-based intervention.

Emily Meyer, MSW, LISW-S
Emily Meyer, is a school-based therapist and Social Worker Lead Coordinator with Cincinnati Children’s. She has more than 20 years of experience working with children and families and has a special interest in anxiety disorder, depression, and ADHD in female adolescents.

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What is Project ECHO?
Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a revolutionary guided-practice model that reduces health disparities in your state, nation, and world. Through innovative tele-mentoring, the Project ECHO model uses a hub-and-spoke knowledge-sharing approach where expert teams lead virtual sessions, amplifying the capacity for providers to deliver best-in-practice care to the patients in their own communities. Watch a brief video here.

How it Works
The Project ECHO model is built on four key principles:

• Use technology to leverage scarce resources

• Share best practices to reduce disparities

• Apply case-based learning to master complexity

• Evaluate and monitor outcomes

During Project ECHO sessions, a learner from the community shares a de-identified case challenge or case concept based on their real-world experience. A brief overview of the case is shared during the ECHO session, followed by clarifying questions and a collaborative discussion. Together, the group provides recommendations, shares best practices, and offers guidance rooted in collective expertise and evidence-informed approaches.

Why Join?

• Free, interactive learning sessions

• Practical strategies to apply immediately in practice

• Collaboration and networking with peers and specialists

• Expert feedback on real-world cases

• Participate from the convenience of your office or home

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What Participants Are Saying About Project ECHO

“I feel more confident, and it makes providing care easier. This project allows for increased opportunities to learn, and patients to get better care.”

“Project ECHO has been a valuable learning experience for me, and I have incorporated new ideas into my practice as a direct result of participation.”

1. Apply evidence-informed strategies to support patients or populations with specialized, evolving, or unmet needs in the learner’s local setting.
2. Collaborate effectively across disciplines, professions, and systems of care by clarifying roles, improving communication, and integrating shared decision-making into routine workflows.
3. Increase confidence and capacity to address challenging or nuanced clinical situations locally, reducing unnecessary referrals and enhancing continuity, access, and equity in care.

In support of improving patient care, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 Nursing: This activity is approved for a maximum 1.25 continuing nursing education (CNE) contact hours per session.

Psychology: Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological  Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. This activity is pre-approved for 1.25 per session.

Clinical Counselors: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is an approved provider of professional counselor continuing education credits by the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Provider #RCX111201. This session is approved for 1.25 clock hours.

Social Workers: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is an approved provider of Social Worker, Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist continuing education by the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board. Provider numbers (RSX069302) and (RCT052503). This session is approved for 1.25 clock hours.

IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.25 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits, per session, for learning and change. 

APA Psychology Regular CE (1.25 hours), Counseling (G) (1.25 hours), IPCE (1.25 hours), Nursing CE (1.25 hours), Social Work – (OH CSWMFT) (1.25 hours)

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

No faculty are available for this activity at this time.