Overall well-being is a function of both mental and physical health. Just as screening and evaluation for mental illnesses and addictions is increasingly available in primary care settings, screening and evaluation for general health problems must be available in behavioral health settings. Despite funding and staffing barriers and confusing liability and confidentiality issues, many community behavioral healthcare organizations have implemented innovative clinical and financing models to address the comprehensive healthcare needs of those they serve. The National Council offers the resources to support the replication and adaptation of models that are effectively providing comprehensive care.

Applications for Primary Care-Mental Health Collaborative Project

Resources for behavioral health and primary care coordination

National Council's Primary Care-Mental Health Collaborative Project

The National Council invites member organizations to apply for its Primary Care Mental Health Collaborative Project. The Site Participation Application (download a Word document) provides additional information about opportunities and requirements associated with this exciting project. Completed applications must be received by 5 pm, eastern time on Monday, May 5, 2008. We will select  four National Council member organizations with their primary care partners to participate.

The Primary Care-Mental Health Collaborative Care project is designed to help your organization create a mutually beneficial relationship with a primary care organization in your community. During this process, you will increase referrals from primary care, create a structure that ensures collaborative care for shared patients, and increase your clients’ access to primary care services.

The National Council continues to learn from earlier phases of this project and to enhance the process to better serve your organization. In this third phase of the project, you will:

• Participate in a learning community with other sites that share your interest. This structure allows for peer-to-peer learning and problem solving.
• Receive more than 50 hours of free consultation from nationally recognized researchers and consultants in the area of primary care integration. We have altered the consultation process, resulting in more time available to each site to focus on its own change process and to receive additional coaching.
• Utilize a web-based clinical registry to track patients and support your change process. This site will be built and maintained expressly for this project and is made available to participating sites free of charge.
• Receive $10,000 to support incidental costs associated with participation. Process change is difficult, and we have learned that sites need additional resources to support this process.
  

Questions? Email Allison Fort or call 301.984.6200, ext. 235.

National Council's Behavioral Health-Primary Care Listserve.

National Council fact sheet: An avoidable tragedy — the relationship of premature death and serious mental illness, June 2007

Mind and body reunited: Improving care at the behavioral and primary healthcare interface, March 2007

Special edition of National Council newsletter on behavioral health and primary care coordination, featuring experts perspectives and provider success stories, December 2006

Finance, policy, and integration of services, July 2006

The Four Quadrant Model and evidence based practices, February 2006

Environmental assessment tool, state level policy and financing, Spring 2004

Behavioral health/primary care integration models, competencies, and infrastructure, May 2003