Behavioral Health Integration with Primary Care

Primary care settings have become a gateway for many individuals with behavioral health and primary care needs. To address these needs, primary care providers are integrating behavioral health care services into their practice setting.

Health centers provide both mental and substance abuse services.

• Counseling
• 24-hour Crisis Intervention
• Developmental Screenings
• Detoxification

Behavioral Health Integration Basics

Primary care settings have facilitated access to behavioral care for many individuals presenting with behavioral health needs. Are you looking to integrate behavioral health into your primary care setting? The following resources highlight key considerations around integration.

• Integrated Care Models for HRSA-Supported Safety Net Providers (Center for Integrated Health Solutions)
• Standard Framework for Levels of Integrated Healthcare (Center for Integrated Health Solutions)
• Business Case for the Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care (PDF - 238 KB) (Center for Integrated Health Solutions)
• The Academy: Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care (The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Academy Web Portal)

Behavioral Health Performance Measures

Depression Screening and Follow-up

This performance measure requires health centers to report the number of patients age 12 and older screened for depression and receiving a follow-up plan (if diagnosed).

• Health Center Program Assistance Letter 2014-01: Approved Uniform Data System Changes for Calendar Year 2014
• Screening Tools for Depression
• Screening Tools for Behavioral Health Disorders by Age Group

Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment

Health centers annually report this performance measure, as well as other substance abuse counseling and treatment services. It identifies, reduces, and prevents substance abuse.

• Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment
• What is Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment

Resources

Substance Use Warmline
Free, Peer-to-peer telephone consultation from physicians, clinical pharmacists, and nurses with special expertise in mental health and substance use evaluation and management.

CDC Prescribing Guideline
This guideline provides recommendations for primary care clinicians who are prescribing opioids to patients 18 and older for chronic pain outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.

Opioid Addiction Treatment ECHO
This ECHO provides free, training and support using videoconferencing technology to federally-qualified health centers in the treatment of opioid use disorder.

Webinars

These webinars provide additional information about behavioral health integration with primary care through health centers.

BPHC On-Demand Webinar

• Substance Abuse Expansion Technical Assistance Webinar: CDC & SAMSHA Resources On-Demand Webinar
• HRSA Substance Abuse Expansion Resources Applicant Technical Assistance Webinar On-Demand Webinar
• Special/Vulnerable Populations Enrichment Webinar Series: Behavioral Health Integration in School-Based Health Centers and National Health Service Corps
  Presentation (PDF - 2 MB) | Audio Replay (MP3 - 12 MB)

Partner On-Demand Webinars

• Behavioral Health Integration Grantee Training Webinar: Expanding Behavioral Health Services to the Safety Net 
  Center for Integrated Health Solutions
• Webinars on topics ranging from technology to cultural competence to workforce resources
  Center for Integrated Health Solutions
• Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment in Urban FQHCs

Community Health Partners for Sustainability

• SBIRT in SBHCs: Integrating Substance Abuse Prevention Services in Your Health Center
  SBHA (School-Based Health Alliance)
• SBIRT with LGBT Patients: Identifying and Addressing Unhealthy Substance Use in Primary Care Settings
  National LGBT Health Education Center
• Mental Health Care and Assessment of Transgender Adults
  National LGBT Health Education Center
• Risk Management Considerations for Prescribing Opioids 
  ECRI Institute
• Who's Leading the Leading Health Indicators? Webinar: Mental Health 
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services