When you think of behavioral health, what is your first thought? Is it substance use and mental health? Is it substance use, mental health and physical health? Now when you think of integration, what is your first thought? Is it bringing behavioral health services into primary care settings? While those answers are correct, there are multi-faceted approaches to health integration that address the whole patient while improving access to care. This presentation explores the transformative potential of integration focusing on substance use, mental health, healthcare, non-medical drivers of health as well as risk and protective factors. Utilizing the four quadrant model as a guide, strategic partnerships with diverse agencies can create a comprehensive approach to meet the individual where they are at. While primary care is a key access point for patients, encompassing a diverse array of organizations and potentially unconventional partnerships can allow for communities and organizations to expand the scope of integration. This presentation will highlight how our organization has identified and pursued partnerships to enhance the integration of care, strengthen access points and provide a holistic approach. We will discuss how we identified partnerships, the importance of each partnership as well as identify practical strategies based on our past, present and future efforts.
Diane Arms, Director, Community Behavioral Health, The Council on Recovery Diane Arms MA