Donovan Ellis PhD, Kara Brendle PhD

Mental health service integration and coordinated, patient-centered care are needed in order to improve physical health outcomes as well as mental health outcomes, given the bidirectional relationship between mental and physical health (Vaccarino et al., 2025). This holistic patient-centered perspective is a primary aim and cornerstone of value-based care models; however, presently most healthcare settings remain structurally fragmented and difficult to navigate for patients.

Several key challenges are shared among most healthcare settings. Based on regional stakeholder interviews and needs assessment data, we prioritized and targeted (1) mental health service capacity that is insufficient to meet community needs, (2) operational barriers limiting access and early prevention-oriented intervention, (3) historical and structural factors contributing to sociocultural barriers and delays in seeking care, and (4) inefficient and fragmented healthcare systems impacting patient experience and engagement in care, as well as staff burnout and turnover. Other challenges and strengths are program- or setting-specific. By utilizing a targeted, evidence-based curriculum to equip our patient-facing workforce to meet these dual sets of challenges, health systems can increase the effectiveness and resilience of their workforce while improving systems/processes. Rather than focusing on deficits or lowest performers, this curriculum focuses on maximizing engagement, contribution, and joy in work through learning and supported professional development to facilitate thriving and values-aligned impact. By employing strength-based and capability-informed individual development plans to increase responsiveness and effective engagement (Kaslow et al., 2022), health systems can directly invest in factors associated with individual-level retention, effectiveness, and performance as well as improved system-level efficiency, care quality, and patient experience (Perlo et al., 2017).

Inclusion of quality improvement and process improvement methods (through lab-based application in care settings) enabled participants to assess and improve processes and capitalize on strengths in their settings. Rapid-cycle (PDSA) data collection provided direct measurable impacts of the training curriculum and provided evidence for financial sustainability. In response to the perennial question “who pays for this?”, this pilot program answers “it pays for itself through increased efficiency”. We report data summarizing results in process efficiency, utilization, service capacity, and clinician engagement, retention, and professional development during pilot implementation.

Define structural competency (system-level) and responsive engagement intervention practices (individual-level). Articulate how they impact efficiency and effectiveness of mental health services and service delivery.

Name 3 measurable financial sustainability outcomes associated with engagement and specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes included in the Integration Academy pilot.

Link lead measures (individual-level KSAs) with associated lag measures (organizational performance) that can be used to demonstrate value and sustainability to leaders, administrators, and other stakeholders.