An article co-authored by two Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) researchers has earned top honors from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). Written by Nic Schmoyer-Edmiston, PhD, NCC, MS '21, and Lisa Corbin, PhD, LPC, NCC, director of the Master's in Mental Health Counseling program, the piece was named one of the Top 10 Most-Read Articles of the Year, standing out among hundreds published across the field's leading counselor education journals.
Published in Counselor Education and Supervision, the article, titled “Behavioral Health Training for Integrated Behavioral Health: A Delphi Study,” explores the skills, interventions and academic knowledge needed to prepare clinical mental health counselors (CMHCs) and other behavioral health professionals (BHPs) for work in integrated behavioral health (IBH) settings.
“We want our students to feel confident and competent when stepping into integrated healthcare settings.”
Dr. Lisa CorbinDirector, MS Counseling Program
This research comes at a time when demand for integrated care is rapidly increasing, as more healthcare systems adopt collaborative, team-based models that combine mental and physical healthcare. Yet, formal training for counselors entering these environments remains limited. At PCOM, integrated care is already a central focus of counselor training, with students learning to work effectively across disciplines to support whole-person health.
“We want our students to feel confident and competent when stepping into integrated healthcare settings,” said Corbin. “That means making sure they're not only equipped with strong clinical skills, but also with the tools to collaborate effectively on interdisciplinary teams, understand medical culture and navigate the fast-paced realities of primary care. Our hope is that this research serves as a practical guide for counselor educators, something they can use to shape more intentional training and ultimately move the field forward in preparing counselors for the evolving landscape of healthcare.”
The study used a classical Delphi methodology to gain expert consensus from an interdisciplinary panel of IBH professionals. Ultimately, the panel identified 88 key statements that define core clinical and nonclinical skills, as well as foundational knowledge needed for effective practice in IBH, where mental health professionals work alongside medical teams in settings like primary care clinics, hospitals and community health centers.
“As a counselor who transitioned into integrated settings myself, I know how overwhelming it can be when you're expected to serve as a bridge between behavioral and physical health care – but haven't been trained for it,” Schmoyer added. “Our goal with this research was to give counselor educators a clear framework they can use to support students and fill that training gap.”
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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