Why is integrated care so important?

Primary care settings, like physician offices and rural health clinics, provide about half of all mental health care for common psychiatric disorders. Additionally, adults with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders also have higher rates of chronic physician illness. Integrated care blends the expertise of mental health, substance use and primary care clinicians with the feedback of patients, caregivers and families.

This course explores the advantages of the integrated care model blending behavioral health and primary care, including the best practice models of including the role of telehealth in integrated care.

Learning Outcomes:

• Define integrated care
• Recall the components of an organizational framework for primary-behavioral health care integration
• Discuss best practice models; including the role of telehealth