 integrate care and prevent medical errors.
- The federal government and states should expand incentives for behavioral health providers to reach Health Information Technology Meaningful Use standards so consumers/patients of these providers can receive integrated care. Organizational issues that need to be addressed include training on both sides of the integration interface: Healthcare workers need to be educated on the value of addressing all health needs in an integrated way, on the recognition of health conditions, and on how to treat mental conditions and when and how to refer to community services.
- It should be an overarching goal to reduce the stigma within both provider communities to eliminate the separation of mental and general health and to overcome stereotypes about individuals with mental health conditions.
- A first step should be better utilization of screening tools in primary care settings with tools that are culturally competent and appropriate for varying literacy levels.
- Evidence-based practices should be expected regardless of the care-setting. Providers should be held accountable for the off-label use of psychotropic medications with children and any overuse of these medications for behavioral management in institutional settings like nursing homes for the elderly.
- Research is needed on the use of integration models with various mental health conditions and for addressing the needs of disparate populations and co-morbidities.
This policy was approved by the Mental Health America Board of Directors on June 9, 2012. It is reviewed as required by the MHA Public Policy Committee. Expiration: December 31, 2017
- IOM, Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions, Quality Chasm Series. Washington: National Academies Press, 2005.http://www.iom.edu/?id=30858
- CDC, The Role of Public Health in Mental Health Promotion, September 2, 2005 / 54(34); 841-842.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5434a1.htm
- See MHA Policy Statement P16 - The Health and Wellness of Individuals with Serious Mental Illnesses http://www.nmha.org/go/position-statements/
- Morbidity and Mortality in People with Serious Mental Illness. NASMHPD. October 2006.http://www.nasmhpd.org/general_files/publications/med_directors_pubs/Tec...
- Quality of Health Care Committee, 2004. Section III. Mental Health Care in Primary Care Settings
- Blount, Alexander. Integrated Primary Care: Organizing the Evidence Families. Systems & Health. 2003
- AAFP Mental Health Care Services by Family Physicians Position Paperhttp://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/m/mentalhealthcareser...
- Annexure et all., 1997, as reported in the Surgeon General's 2000 Report: Integration of Mental Health Services and Primary Health
- Core Principles from Surgeon General's 2000 Report: Integration of Mental Health Services and Primary Health Care.http://0-www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.catalog.llu.edu/books/bv.fcgi?rid=hstat5.s...