JoAnna Garza, MSSW, LCSW

Biography

JoAnna Garza completed her Masters in Social Work from The University of Denver. JoAnna was a recipient of the CLIMB@DU stipend, a HRSA grant aimed at increasing integrated behavioral health services in rural, medically underserved communities. This paid opportunity allowed her to complete her internship at St. Mary’s Family Medicine Residency in Grand Junction, CO. She served in their Integrated Health Model as a Behavioral Health Provider in Family Medicine. Since graduation in 2019, JoAnna returned to the region and population of the Rio Grande Valley, where she was raised. 

Since joining the School of Medicine, JoAnna serves as a Behavioral Health Consultant in Family Medicine and is an active part of educating Family Medicine residents. JoAnna provides an oversight for the Primary Care Behavioral Health rotation experience. In this rotation, JoAnna supervises and trains Family Medicine residents as they function as a Behavioral Health Consultant during the rotation to obtain skills in addressing biopsychosocial factors that influence patient care. They will also learn key evidence-based behavioral skills necessary to assisting patients with self-management of their acute and chronic health conditions. In addition to her role at the School of Medicine, she also assists with supervision of students enrolled in the Primary Care Behavioral Health program, which aims to expand PCBH experience to graduate level students in Clinical Mental Health, Psychology, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, and Social Work.