Despite significant investment in expanding behavioral health access, many Federally Qualified Health Centers struggle to translate screening and referral efforts into measurable population-level outcomes. This session describes how Oak Orchard Health, a multi-site rural FQHC in Western New York, redesigned its integrated behavioral health model by embedding standardized screening, automated referral pathways, and real-time performance dashboards directly into the electronic health record. A cross-trained care management team integrating Collaborative Care, Chronic Care Management, and social care coordination created closed-loop workflows and shared accountability for follow-up. The approach increased follow-up after positive depression screens from 22% to 79% in under two years and expanded social determinants of health outreach to thousands of patients. Participants will learn practical strategies for building technology-enabled, financially sustainable models that improve behavioral health outcomes and reduce disparities in underserved populations.
Unützer J, et al. Collaborative Care for Depression in Primary Care: Evidence and Implementation. JAMA. 2002;288(22):2836–2845.
Babor TF, et al. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): Toward a Public Health Approach to the Management of Substance Abuse. Substance Abuse. 2007;28(3):7–30.
World Health Organization. Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts, 2nd Edition. Copenhagen: WHO; 2003.