Training, Metrics, and Additional Considerations

Training

Traning and support are paramount in the success of integrating behavioral health into the PCMH. The following information on this topic has been compiled to help in this effort.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) created "Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much: a Clinician's Guide," which provides screening and brief interventions as recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force. The manual includes materials to use in individual practices and is well suited for a practice improvement projects.

The Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions (AIMS) Center, which sponsors the IMPACT model, has several options for clinicians and organizations who wish to train in IMPACT and depression care management, including individual training, group-based learning, and tailored team building programs, available in both in-person and online formats 

The Integrated Behavioral Health Project (IBHP) is an initiative to accelerate the integration of behavioral health services into primary care settings in California.

Addressing the Workforce Crisis in Integrated Primary Care,” Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings

Example Metrics

  • Percentage of people on SSRIs with depression or anxiety in the problem list
  • Percentage of patients with a chronic illness who have had a behavioral assessment interview to get input into the behavioral health aspects of the treatment plan
  • Percentage of all adult patients who have had a PHQ-9 (or similar) in the last year
  • PHQ-9 scores
  • Percentage of children who have had a validated behavioral health screen at the last WCC (PEDS, MCHAT, PSC)
  • Percentage with a positive screen who have a behavioral health problem listed on problem list and appropriate referral
  • Days of missed school for all patients aged 6-18 (a great measure of improvement in asthma care)

Please see metrics used in the models and case examples presented on our other resource pages.

Additional Considerations

  • What is the role of technology for integration and implementation?
  • How can behavioral health services be delivered on a broad scale in a reasonable amount of time?  (virtual teams - telepsychology - and physically integrated teams)
  • What is the role of medications in behavioral health care?
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