B.T. Oeser

Assessment and staff perceptions of mental health and substance use disorders integration in primary care

Background Due to health-care reform, the integration of behavioral health (substance use disorder and mental health) services into primary care settings has taken on increased urgency. Project Care is an innovative county-funded integration initiative in Kern County, California, which uses a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model to build capacity for behavioral health care in two federally qualified health centers and one county medical center’s outpatient clinic. Implementation strategies included funding to implement SBIRT reimbursement for the provision of two services (e.g., physical and mental health) in the same day, monthly provider meetings, trainings, technical assistance, and feedback in the form of evaluation reports to participating sites. As part of the program, assessments were conducted to measure integration progress.

The California Integration Learning Collaborative: A Forum to Address Challenges of SUD-Primary Care Service Integration

Abstract The California Substance Use Disorder (SUD)/Health Care Integration Learning Collaborative (CILC) aims to provide an interactive forum where county administrators, SUD provider organization representatives, and other key stakeholders can collaborate to identify successful models and processes for SUD integration into primary health care, as well as common barriers and solutions. We present the topics discussed within the CILC that have focused on common barriers to SUD and health care integration (documentation/data privacy, financing, and partnering with primary care providers). This article describes the discussions, presentations, and lessons learned from the CILC addressing each of these three barriers.