Name
O06 - Is Specialty Mental Health a Higher Level of Care? Let's Process That
Date & Time
Saturday, October 18, 2025, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Location Name
302C
Description
Primary care and behavioral health clinicians alike often believe the care provided in specialty mental health is superior to that provided in primary care. Similarly, both often believe primary care is an inappropriate setting for treating patients with complex presentations. This session will review the anecdotal and empirical evidence comparing care in both settings and will make the case that well-supported primary care may be an ideal setting for treatment of any mental health concern. The session will also outline how use of a stepped-care approach can optimize the use of both settings.
Speakers
Content Level
Intermediate
Tags
Population and public health, Primary Care Behavioral Health Model, Team-based care
Session Type
Concurrent
SIG or Committee
Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH)
Objective 1
Discuss the literature related to managing complex patient problems in primary care.
Objective 2
List anecdotal and empirical advantages primary care has for treating mental health problems of any severity/complexity.
Objective 3
Outline a standardized decision-making structure for when to refer patients to specialty mental health.
Content Reference 1
Sunderji, N., Polaha, J., Ratzliff, A. & Reiter, J. (2020). A Walk on the Translational Science Bridge With Leaders in Integrated Care: Where Do We Need to Build? Families, Systems & Health, 38(2), 99–104.
Content Reference 2
Reiter, J.T., Dobmeyer, A. & Hunter, C.L. (2018). The Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) Model: An Overview and Operational Definition. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 25(2), 109-126.
Content Reference 3
Myong, C., Yang, Z., Behr, C. & Fung, V. (2024). Mental health care use and quality among Medicaid adults with serious mental illness receiving care at Federally Qualified Health Centers vs. other settings. BHC Health Services Research, 24, 825-833.