What is Integrated Behavioral Health?

Integrated Behavioral Health has been defined as “the care that results from a practice team of primary care and behavioral health clinicians, working together with patients and families, using a systematic and cost-effective approach to provide patient-centered care for a defined population. This care may address mental health and substance abuse conditions, health behaviors (including their contribution to chronic medical illnesses), life stressors and crises, stress-related physical symptoms, and ineffective patterns of health care utilization.”

Peek CJ. Lexicon for behavioral health and primary care integration: Concepts and definitions developed by expert consensus. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2013. Available from: https://integrationacademy.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Journey%20Toward%20a%20Lexicon.pdf. Accessed August 2, 2018.

Social workers are being utilized in integrated behavioral health settings more than ever before. As helping professionals who are already trained to understand individuals holistically, social workers play an important and unique role in the provision of integrated care.

That social workers comprise a large portion of the behavioral health provider workforce has already been established (Singer, Beck & Buche, 2017). However, it has also been demonstrated that the presence of social workers on integrated teams can enhance and improve the care that is being provided (Fraser, Lombardi, Wu, de Saxe Zerden, Richman and Fraher, 2018).

For more information on social work in integrated behavioral health, please consult the following resources:

• SAMSHA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions 
• NCBI, Social Workers as Behavioral Health Consultants in the Primary Care Clinic

References

• Fraser, M. W., Lombardi, B. M., Wu, S., De Saxe Zerden, L., Richman, E. L., & Fraher, E. P. (2018). Integrated Primary Care and Social Work: A Systematic Review. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research,9(2). doi:10.1086/697567
• Singer, P. M., Beck, A. J., & Buche, J. (2017, September). A workforce minimum data set for social workers. Retrieved from http://www.behavioralhealthworkforce.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/A-Workforce-MDS-for-Social-Workers-Policy-Brief_comments-ps.pdf 

 

Agency for Research and Healthcare Quality (AHRQ):

• AHRQ Website
• A Guidebook of Professional Practices for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration
• Lexicon for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration

National Council on Behavioral Health

• National Council Website
• Video: Example of a Warm Handoff

SAMSHA-HRSA:

• Essential Elements of Effective Integrated Primary Care and Behavioral Health Teams
• HRSA Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration
• SAMSHA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions

University of Michigan Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center

• Behavioral Workforce Research Center Publications
• Behavioral Workforce Research Center Website

Other Resouces:

• Health Affairs: Prevalence and Spending Associated with Patients Who Have a Behavioral Health Disorder and Other Conditions
• Integrating Physical and Behavioral Health: A Major Step Toward Population Health Management
• ACEs Screening Tool for Children and Adolescents