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Introduction: Discussions comparing the components and virtues of models of integrated behavioral health (IBH), that is, collaborative care management and primary care behavioral health, have been ongoing. In this conceptual article, we recommend shifting the focus to a broader set of components we have found essential to serve the needs of our patients, and hopefully the broader aims of dissemination and implementation of IBH. Method: We detail our 20-year experience including the personnel, program components, challenges, successes, and plans for the future that will meet our patients' behavioral health needs and serve primary care. Results: We compare our "IBH Plus" approach using the central tenets of primary care known as the "six Cs" (6Cs) to two dominant models, illustrating differences and similarities among them. The "6Cs" are first contact/accessibility, continuity, comprehensiveness, coordination, context-based, and accountability. We detail how each of these "6Cs" guides the structure and functioning of IBH Plus in the team-based patient-centered medical home setting. Discussion: We believe IBH Plus more clearly relates to and supports the rest of the primary care transformation movement while integrating components of the most popular models of IBH and may support greater implementation of IBH. Public Significance Statement: There is continued debate about the best methods and models for integrating behavioral health in primary care. This article makes the case for using six essentials of primary care (6 Cs) as the guide for structuring and operating behavioral health within primary care practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Mental health problems represent a large and growing public health concern. Primary care handles most of the patients with mental health problems, but there are many barriers to detection and treatment in this setting, causing under-recognition and under-treatment of patients. The service delivery model Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) shows promise to manage mental health problems in primary care, but more research is needed regarding its effects on multiple levels. Methods This project investigates the effectiveness and implementation of a large-scale implementation of PCBH in Region Östergötland, Sweden. The aim is to generate new knowledge concerning the impact of a real-world implementation and use of PCBH in routine primary care. A Pragmatic Stepped-Wedge Cluster Trial will be used: 24 PCBH primary care centres in one region will be compared with 48 standard care centres in three other regions. The model will be implemented sequentially at the PCBH centres according to a staggered timetable. Results will be investigated at patient, staff and organization levels and various forms of data will be collected: (1) local and national registry data; (2) questionnaire data; (3) interview data; and (4) document data. Discussion This project investigates the effectiveness and implementation of PCBH in routine primary care. The project could result in improved mental health care for the included patients and contribute to the general good for a wider population who have mental health problems. The project’s study design will make it possible to assess many important effects of the PCBH service delivery model at different levels, providing evidence of the effectiveness (or not) of the PCBH model under routine conditions in primary care. The project has the potential to generate clinically meaningful results that can provide a basis for decisions concerning further implementation and use of the model and thus for future development of mental health care provision in primary care. Trial registration NCT05633940, date of registration: 2021–04-21.

Background: Mental health problems represent a large and growing public health concern. Primary care handles most of the patients with mental health problems, but there are many barriers to detection and treatment in this setting, causing under-recognition and under-treatment of patients. The service delivery model Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) shows promise to manage mental health problems in primary care, but more research is needed regarding its effects on multiple levels. Methods: This project investigates the effectiveness and implementation of a large-scale implementation of PCBH in Region Östergötland, Sweden. The aim is to generate new knowledge concerning the impact of a real-world implementation and use of PCBH in routine primary care. A Pragmatic Stepped-Wedge Cluster Trial will be used: 24 PCBH primary care centres in one region will be compared with 48 standard care centres in three other regions. The model will be implemented sequentially at the PCBH centres according to a staggered timetable. Results will be investigated at patient, staff and organization levels and various forms of data will be collected: (1) local and national registry data; (2) questionnaire data; (3) interview data; and (4) document data. Discussion: This project investigates the effectiveness and implementation of PCBH in routine primary care. The project could result in improved mental health care for the included patients and contribute to the general good for a wider population who have mental health problems. The project's study design will make it possible to assess many important effects of the PCBH service delivery model at different levels, providing evidence of the effectiveness (or not) of the PCBH model under routine conditions in primary care. The project has the potential to generate clinically meaningful results that can provide a basis for decisions concerning further implementation and use of the model and thus for future development of mental health care provision in primary care. Trial registration: NCT05633940, date of registration: 2021–04-21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The primary care behavioral health (PCBH) model is one of the most widely implemented integrated care approaches. However, research on the model has been limited by inconsistent measurement and reporting of model fidelity. One way of making measurement of PCBH model fidelity more routine is to incorporate fidelity indicators into the electronic medical record (EMR), though research regarding the accuracy of EMR data is mixed. In this study, we aimed to assess the reliability of EMR data as a PCBH fidelity measurement tool by comparing key EMR indicators of PCBH fidelity to those recorded by an observational coder. Method: Over an 8-month period (October 2021–May 2022), 12 behavioral health consultants (BHCs; 92% White, 75% female) across five primary care clinics recorded indicators of PCBH fidelity in the EMR as part of their routine charting of behavioral health visits. During that same period, one observational coder completed seven 4-hr visits per clinic to obtain multiple samples of data from each over time and recorded the same variables (i.e., percentage of visits prompted by warm handoffs, number of warm handoffs, and number of patient visits). We used bivariate correlations to test the associations between the EMR variables and the observer-coded variables. Results: Correlations between EMR and observer-coded variables were moderate to strong, ranging from r =.46 to r =.97. Discussion: Leveraging EMR data appears to be a fairly reliable approach to capturing indicators of PCBH model fidelity in the key domains of accessibility and high productivity. Public Significance Statement: Using electronic medical record data appears to be a fairly reliable approach to capturing indicators of primary care behavioral health model fidelity in the key domains of accessibility and high productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Children and adolescents often do not receive mental healthcare when they need it. By 2021, the complex impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, structural racism, inequality in access to healthcare, and a growing shortage of mental health providers led to a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health in the United States. The need for effective, accessible treatment is more pressing than ever. Interdisciplinary, team-based pediatric integrated mental healthcare has been shown to be efficacious, accessible, and cost-effective. METHODS: In response to the youth mental health crisis, Rady Childrens Hospital-San Diegos Transforming Mental Health Initiative aimed to increase early identification of mental illness and improve access to effective treatment for children and adolescents. A stakeholder engagement process was established with affiliated pediatric clinics, community mental health organizations, and existing pediatric integrated care programs, leading to the development of the Primary Care Mental Health Integration program and drawing from established models of integrated care: Primary Care Behavioral Health and Collaborative Care. RESULTS: As of 2023, the Primary Care Mental Health Integration program established integrated care teams in 10 primary care clinics across San Diego and Riverside counties in California. Measurement-based care has been implemented and preliminary results indicate that patient response to therapy has resulted in a 44% reduction in anxiety symptoms and a 62% decrease in depression symptoms. The program works toward fiscal sustainability via fee-for-service reimbursement and more comprehensive payor contracts. The impact on patients, primary care provider satisfaction, measurement-based care, funding strategies, as well as challenges faced and changes made will be discussed using the lens of the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework. DISCUSSION: Preliminary results suggest that the Primary Care Mental Health Integration is a highly collaborative integrated care model that identifies the needs of children and adolescents and delivers brief, evidence informed treatment. The successful integration of this model into 10 primary care clinics over 3 years has laid the groundwork for future program expansion. This model of care can play a role addressing youth mental health and increasing access to care. Challenges, successes, and lessons learned will be reviewed.

Introduction: Integrated primary care settings serve an increasingly high volume of linguistically diverse patients. In English language-dominant countries, limited English proficiency (LEP) is associated with disparities in access and quality of behavioral health (BH) care. Interpretive services (IS) aim to address these disparities by assisting in the delivery of clinical care between patients and providers who speak different languages. Yet, there is a need for greater emphasis on the utilization of IS in clinical training for BH professionals (e.g., psychology, social work, counseling, and family therapy). Method: In this conceptual article, we describe a BH practicum rotation for predoctoral psychology trainees in a free, student-run integrated primary care clinic that largely serves uninsured adults with LEP. First, we discuss our training model which includes a 90-min didactic lecture on IS for BH and supervised applied clinical experiences (e.g., psychotherapy, warm handoffs, and consultation). Then, we present vignettes prepared by trainees about the challenges and benefits associated with delivering BH care with IS at the predoctoral level of training. Results: From the practicum experience, clinical psychology trainees reported improved knowledge and competencies in utilizing IS as well as generalizable skills for delivering BH care with a focus on multicultural practice. Discussion: We recommend that other integrated primary care BH training sites consider emphasizing training in IS. This article concludes with recommendations for implementation and dissemination of our training model on other sites. Public Significance Statement: This article describes a clinical practicum training rotation for prelicensure trainees focused on integrated behavioral health (BH) care delivered with interpretive services (IS). BH trainees evidenced improved knowledge and competencies for providing language-discordant BH care with IS as well as generalizable training benefits for multiculturally sensitive integrated BH services in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author frames the development of integrated care and the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA) through the ecocycle planning model. With four distinct stages of development and renewal—gestation, birth, maturity, and creative destruction—the ecocycle planning model encourages organizations to consider ways to ask questions to avoid a rigidity trap, which in the model appears as a process after maturity. As CFHA approaches its 30th year in 2024, the author documents a rough, imperfect history for a shared understanding of how integrated care and CFHA reached maturity and invites the readers to engage in critical questions to avoid the rigidity trap. The author contends that integrated care as a movement and CFHA as an organization have the capacity and a history of learning to ask informed questions to avoid falling prey to the rigidity trap. Public Significance Statement: Reflecting on our developmental history in order to plan for sustainable growth is a vital task for all organizations. The Collaborative Family Healthcare Association is a member-serving organization and support professionals who work in the space of integrating behavioral and physical health. We are using the eco-cycle planning framework to help us chart our strategic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Providing comprehensive and continuous care for patients whose conditions have mental or behavioral components is a central challenge in primary care and an important part of improving universal health coverage. There is a great need for high and routine availability of psychological interventions, but traditional methods for delivering psychotherapy often result in low reach and long wait times. Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) is a method for organizing primary care in which behavioral health staff provide brief, flexible interventions to a large part of the population in active collaboration with other providers. While PCBH holds promise in addressing important challenges, it has not yet been thoroughly evaluated. Methods This cluster randomized trial will assess 17 primary care centers (PCCs) that are starting a PCBH implementation process. The PCCs will be divided into two groups, with one starting immediate implementation and the other acting as a control, implementing six months later. The purpose of the study is to strengthen the evidence base for PCBH regarding implementation-, organization-, and patient-level outcomes, taking into consideration that there is a partially dependent relationship between the three levels. Patient outcomes (such as increased daily functioning and reduction of symptoms) may be dependent on organizational changes (such as availability of treatment, waiting times and interprofessional teamwork), which in turn requires change in implementation outcomes (most notably, model fidelity). In addition to the main analysis, five secondary analyses will compare groups based on different combinations of randomization and time periods, specifically before and after each center achieves sufficient PCBH fidelity. Discussion A randomized comparison of PCBH and traditional primary care has, to our knowledge, not been made before. While the naturalistic setting and the intricacies of implementation pose certain challenges, we have designed this study in an effort to evaluate the causal effects of PCBH despite these complex aspects. The results of this project will be helpful in guiding decisions on how to organize the delivery of behavioral interventions and psychological treatment within the context of primary care in Sweden and elsewhere. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05335382. Retrospectively registered on March 13th, 2022.

Background: Providing comprehensive and continuous care for patients whose conditions have mental or behavioral components is a central challenge in primary care and an important part of improving universal health coverage. There is a great need for high and routine availability of psychological interventions, but traditional methods for delivering psychotherapy often result in low reach and long wait times. Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) is a method for organizing primary care in which behavioral health staff provide brief, flexible interventions to a large part of the population in active collaboration with other providers. While PCBH holds promise in addressing important challenges, it has not yet been thoroughly evaluated. Methods: This cluster randomized trial will assess 17 primary care centers (PCCs) that are starting a PCBH implementation process. The PCCs will be divided into two groups, with one starting immediate implementation and the other acting as a control, implementing six months later. The purpose of the study is to strengthen the evidence base for PCBH regarding implementation-, organization-, and patient-level outcomes, taking into consideration that there is a partially dependent relationship between the three levels. Patient outcomes (such as increased daily functioning and reduction of symptoms) may be dependent on organizational changes (such as availability of treatment, waiting times and interprofessional teamwork), which in turn requires change in implementation outcomes (most notably, model fidelity). In addition to the main analysis, five secondary analyses will compare groups based on different combinations of randomization and time periods, specifically before and after each center achieves sufficient PCBH fidelity. Discussion: A randomized comparison of PCBH and traditional primary care has, to our knowledge, not been made before. While the naturalistic setting and the intricacies of implementation pose certain challenges, we have designed this study in an effort to evaluate the causal effects of PCBH despite these complex aspects. The results of this project will be helpful in guiding decisions on how to organize the delivery of behavioral interventions and psychological treatment within the context of primary care in Sweden and elsewhere. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05335382. Retrospectively registered on March 13th, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Primary care behavioral health (PCBH) is a patient care model in which a behavioral health consultant (BHC) works alongside the primary care provider to address behavioral components of health conditions. PCBH is well received in the primary care setting; however, little is known about acceptability of the service among prenatal patients. The study was designed to explore the acceptability of PCBH among pregnant patients in a resident obstetrics and gynecology clinic. Methods: A survey designed to assess different components of acceptability was administered to eligible pregnant patients who received prenatal care at the resident obstetrics and gynecology clinic. Results: The majority of patients wanted to receive education on pregnancy-relevant topics from the BHC: healthy weight gain (68.4%), healthy eating (70.4%), healthy exercise (73.5%), and mood disorders (63.3%). The majority of participants wanted help from the BHC in managing coexisting conditions affecting pregnancy: stress (63.3%), depression (75.5%), or anxiety (73%). The majority of patients (55.6%) preferred to work with a BHC for mental health concerns rather than an outside psychiatrist or counselor. PCBH service was perceived to be easy to understand (78%). Barriers to engaging in the PCBH service included time (41.4%), lack of perceived need (13.8%), unavailability (6.9%), and others (13.8%). Despite the perceived benefit, there was an implication of stigma among prenatal patients seeking PCBH or mental health care. Conclusions: Overall, the PCBHmodel had high acceptability among a prenatal care population in a resident obstetrics and gynecology clinic and offers potential to improve prenatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The primary care behavioral health (PCBH) model of integration has been widely implemented across a number of noteworthy health care systems. However, lack of consistent measurement and reporting of the degree to which the PCBH model has been implemented as developers intended has resulted in two disadvantages in the field. First, clinical quality improvement efforts are hampered by lack of clear guidance on what elements are central to PCBH implementation. Second, the dearth of empirical studies reporting model fidelity impedes cross-study comparisons and limits the rigor of PCBH-focused research. Efforts to expand measurement of PCBH model fidelity would benefit from identification of accessible, unbiased metrics that could complement existing self-report measures. Method: In this article, we describe how we partnered with our clinical informatics team to incorporate PCBH fidelity metrics into the electronic medical record (EMR), allowing for monthly extraction and review of these data. Results: Next, we describe how we have used monthly fidelity monitoring to inform clinical quality improvement efforts in the context of a developing integrated care program and provide an example of how PCBH fidelity data might be reported in a research article. Discussion: Leveraging EMR data to support PCBH fidelity measurement has the potential to strengthen clinical quality improvement efforts and enable more consistent measurement and reporting of PCBH fidelity data in research. Future efforts should aim to parse out the relative contribution of different variables to the success of PCBH integration and evaluate the effectiveness of implementation strategies at supporting high fidelity. Public Significance Statement: Electronic medical record data can be leveraged to support primary care behavioral health (PCBH) fidelity monitoring, which has the potential to strengthen clinical quality improvement efforts and enable more rigorous research pursuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionChildren and adolescents often do not receive mental healthcare when they need it. By 2021, the complex impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, structural racism, inequality in access to healthcare, and a growing shortage of mental health providers led to a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health in the United States. The need for effective, accessible treatment is more pressing than ever. Interdisciplinary, team-based pediatric integrated mental healthcare has been shown to be efficacious, accessible, and cost-effective.MethodsIn response to the youth mental health crisis, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego’s Transforming Mental Health Initiative aimed to increase early identification of mental illness and improve access to effective treatment for children and adolescents. A stakeholder engagement process was established with affiliated pediatric clinics, community mental health organizations, and existing pediatric integrated care programs, leading to the development of the Primary Care Mental Health Integration program and drawing from established models of integrated care: Primary Care Behavioral Health and Collaborative Care.ResultsAs of 2023, the Primary Care Mental Health Integration program established integrated care teams in 10 primary care clinics across San Diego and Riverside counties in California. Measurement-based care has been implemented and preliminary results indicate that patient response to therapy has resulted in a 44% reduction in anxiety symptoms and a 62% decrease in depression symptoms. The program works toward fiscal sustainability via fee-for-service reimbursement and more comprehensive payor contracts. The impact on patients, primary care provider satisfaction, measurement-based care, funding strategies, as well as challenges faced and changes made will be discussed using the lens of the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework.DiscussionPreliminary results suggest that the Primary Care Mental Health Integration is a highly collaborative integrated care model that identifies the needs of children and adolescents and delivers brief, evidence informed treatment. The successful integration of this model into 10 primary care clinics over 3 years has laid the groundwork for future program expansion. This model of care can play a role addressing youth mental health and increasing access to care. Challenges, successes, and lessons learned will be reviewed.

Background: Over 100 million Americans have chronic pain and most obtain their treatment in primary care clinics. However, evidence-based behavioral treatments targeting pain-related disability are not typically provided in these settings. Therefore, this study sought to: 1) evaluate implementation of a brief evidence-based treatment, Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT-CP), delivered by an integrated behavioral health consultant (BHC) in primary care; and 2) preliminarily explore primary (self-reported physical disability) and secondary treatment outcomes (chronic pain acceptance and engagement in valued activities). Methods: This mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial included twenty-six participants with non-cancer chronic pain being treated in primary care (54% women; 46% Hispanic/Latino). Active participants completed a 30-min individual FACT-CP visit followed by 3 weekly 60-min group visits and a booster visit 2 months later. An enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) control group received 4 handouts about pain management based in cognitivebehavioral science. Follow-up research visits occurred during and after treatment, at 12 weeks (booster visit), and at 6 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data after the last research visit. General linear mixed regression models with repeated measures explored primary and secondary outcomes. Results: The study design and FACT-CP intervention were feasible and acceptable. Quantitative analyses indicate at 6-month follow-up, self-reported physical disability significantly improved pre-post within the FACT-CP arm (d = 0.64); engagement in valued activities significantly improved within both the FACT-CP (d = 0.70) and ETAU arms (d = 0.51); and chronic pain acceptance was the only outcome significantly different between arms (d = 1.04), increased in the FACT-CP arm and decreased in the ETAU arm. Qualitative data analyses reflected that FACT-CP participants reported acquiring skills for learning to live with pain, consistent with increased chronic pain acceptance. Conclusion: Findings support that FACT-CP was acceptable for patients with chronic pain and feasible for delivery in a primary care setting by a BHC. Results provide preliminary evidence for improved physical functioning after FACT-CP treatment. A larger pragmatic trial is warranted, with a design based on data gathered in this pilot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Opioid use disorders (OUD), co-occurring with either depression and/or PTSD, are prevalent, burdensome, and often receive little or low-quality care. Collaborative care is a service delivery intervention that uses a team-based model to improve treatment access, quality, and outcomes in primary care patients, but has not been evaluated for co-occurring OUD and mental health disorders. To address this treatment and quality gap, we adapted collaborative care for co-occurring OUD and mental health disorders. Methods Our adapted model is called Collaboration Leading to Addiction Treatment and Recovery from Other Stresses (CLARO). We used the five-step Map of Adaptation Process (McKleroy in AIDS Educ Prev 18:59–73, 2006) to develop the model. For each step, our stakeholder team of research and clinical experts, primary care partners, and patients provided input into adaptation processes (e.g., adaptation team meetings, clinic partner feedback, patient interviews and beta-testing). To document each adaptation and our decision-making process, we used the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced (Wiltsey Stirman in Implement Sci 14:1–10, 2019). Results We documented 12 planned fidelity-consistent adaptations to collaborative care, including a mix of content, context, and training/evaluation modifications intended to improve fit with the patient population (co-occurring disorders) or the New Mexico setting (low-resource clinics in health professional shortage areas). Examples of documented adaptations include use of community health workers as care coordinators; an expanded consultant team to support task-shifting to community health workers; modified training protocols for Problem-Solving Therapy and Written Exposure Therapy to incorporate examples of treating patients for depression or PTSD with co-occurring OUD; and having care coordinators screen for patients’ social needs. Conclusions We completed the first three steps of the Map of Adaptation Process, resulting in a variety of adaptations that we believe will make collaborative care more acceptable and feasible in treating co-occurring OUD and mental health disorders. Future steps include evaluating the effectiveness of CLARO and documenting reactive and/or planned adaptations to the model that occur during its implementation and delivery. Trial registration NCT04559893, NCT04634279. Registered 08 September 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04559893

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant mental stressors among patients, which had the potential to impede access to primary care behavioral health (PCBH) services through rapid unplanned shifts to telehealth. The authors utilized retrospective administrative data and patient surveys to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical outcomes of Jefferson Health PCBH pre- and post-COVID pandemic onset (Cohort 1 in person-only visits and Cohort 2 telemedicine-only visits). Using a retrospective cohort comparison study, outcomes included number of patients receiving PCBH in both cohorts, frequency of visits, no-show and cancellation rates, change in mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores for patients, changes in the levels of depression and anxiety severity using established severity levels, and patient satisfaction with telehealth (Cohort 2 only). Patients in Cohort 2 were significantly more likely to have an anxiety diagnosis, had a smaller average number of visits, and were more likely to have a cancelled appointment. Both cohorts had statistically significant improvements in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. In regression analyses, treatment cohort was not a significant predictor of final PHQ-9 or GAD-7 score. More members of Cohort 2 reported severe anxiety at both initial and final measurements. Nearly all Cohort 2 patients agreed or strongly agreed that telehealth made it easier for them to obtain care, that the platform was easy to use, and the visit was effective. Overall, PCBH telehealth services post-COVID-19 onset were feasible, acceptable to patients, and yielded similar clinical improvements to in-person behavioral health visits conducted before the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research regarding the intersection of social work and integrated care has recently increased. Although research specific to the role and engagement of social workers in integrated care is promising, research regarding attitudes toward social workers on integrated behavioral health (IBH) teams remains scant. This study provides perspective regarding healthcare professionals' attitudes toward the role of social workers on IBH teams. A survey was constructed and distributed to health professionals (n = 104) from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work. Mixed methods were used to evaluate survey findings. Results suggest attitudes toward social workers on IBH teams are generally favorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valid measures of behavioral health integration have the potential to enable comparisons of various models of integration, contribute to the overall development of high-quality care, and evaluate outcomes that are strategically aligned with standard improvement efforts. The Practice Integration Profile has proven to discriminate among clinic types and integration efforts. We continued the validation of the measure's internal consistency, intra-rater consistency, and inter-rater consistency with a separate and larger sample from a broader array of practices. We found that the Practice Integration Profile demonstrated a high level of internal consistency, suggesting empirically sound measurement of independent attributes of integration, and high reliability over time. The Practice Integration Profile provides internally consistent and interpretable results and can serve as both a quality improvement and health services research tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Opioid use disorders (OUD), co-occurring with either depression and/or PTSD, are prevalent, burdensome, and often receive little or low-quality care. Collaborative care is a service delivery intervention that uses a team-based model to improve treatment access, quality, and outcomes in primary care patients, but has not been evaluated for co-occurring OUD and mental health disorders. To address this treatment and quality gap, we adapted collaborative care for co-occurring OUD and mental health disorders. Methods: Our adapted model is called Collaboration Leading to Addiction Treatment and Recovery from Other Stresses (CLARO). We used the five-step Map of Adaptation Process (McKleroy in AIDS Educ Prev 18:59–73, 2006) to develop the model. For each step, our stakeholder team of research and clinical experts, primary care partners, and patients provided input into adaptation processes (e.g., adaptation team meetings, clinic partner feedback, patient interviews and beta-testing). To document each adaptation and our decision-making process, we used the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced (Wiltsey Stirman in Implement Sci 14:1–10, 2019). Results: We documented 12 planned fidelity-consistent adaptations to collaborative care, including a mix of content, context, and training/evaluation modifications intended to improve fit with the patient population (co-occurring disorders) or the New Mexico setting (low-resource clinics in health professional shortage areas). Examples of documented adaptations include use of community health workers as care coordinators; an expanded consultant team to support task-shifting to community health workers; modified training protocols for Problem-Solving Therapy and Written Exposure Therapy to incorporate examples of treating patients for depression or PTSD with co-occurring OUD; and having care coordinators screen for patients' social needs. Conclusions: We completed the first three steps of the Map of Adaptation Process, resulting in a variety of adaptations that we believe will make collaborative care more acceptable and feasible in treating co-occurring OUD and mental health disorders. Future steps include evaluating the effectiveness of CLARO and documenting reactive and/or planned adaptations to the model that occur during its implementation and delivery. Trial registration NCT04559893, NCT04634279. Registered 08 September 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04559893 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirituality is integral to the provision of high-quality health and mental healthcare. Despite this, there is limited research on how to assess and address spiritual determinants of health within primary care settings. Many individuals initiate care within primary care settings, and several will only receive care from their primary care provider. The high prevalence of individuals receiving care within primary care settings coupled with the positive impact spirituality has on health and mental health reveal the need to care for spiritual needs within primary care settings. Integrated care is a model of treatment that addresses the fragmentation of healthcare by assessing and addressing the psychosocial determinants of health within primary care settings. The structure of integrated care models is designed to treat the biological and psychosocial determinants of health and, as a result, provide suitable context for assessing and addressing spirituality in primary care settings. The purpose of this paper is to (1) summarize the efforts to integrate spirituality within primary care (whole person care models), (2) summarize the integrated care efforts to promote psychosocial integration, (3) highlight Christian mindfulness as a potential form of intervention to address spirituality within integrated care models, and (4) operationalize the delivery of Christian mindfulness within a fully integrated care model. The conclusions from the conceptual review include both practice innovation for the assessment and intervention of spirituality in integrated care as well as potential direction for future research to study Christian mindfulness within integrated care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pragmatic trials testing the effectiveness of interventions under "real world" conditions help bridge the research-to-practice gap. Such trial designs are optimal for studying the impact of implementation efforts, such as the effectiveness of integrated behavioral health clinicians in primary care settings. Formal pragmatic trials conducted in integrated primary care settings are uncommon, making it difficult for researchers to anticipate the potential pitfalls associated with balancing scientific rigor with the demands of routine clinical practice. This paper is based on our experience conducting the first phase of a large, multisite, pragmatic clinical trial evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of behavioral health consultants treating patients with chronic pain using a manualized intervention, brief cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain (BCBT-CP). The paper highlights key choice points using the PRagmatic-Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary (PRECIS-2) tool. We discuss the dilemmas of pragmatic research that we faced and offer recommendations for aspiring integrated primary care pragmatic trialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric primary care is widely available in the United States and can help address the growing public health crisis in child and adolescent mental health by providing integrated behavioral health services. This article provides an overview of 3 common models of behavioral health integration in pediatric primary care settings: 1) the Child Psychiatry Access Program model, 2) the Primary Care Behavioral Health model, and 3) the Collaborative Care Model. Pediatric primary care practices may evaluate the different features of each model before adopting an approach for integration and consider tailoring it to their practice environments., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Grief is a universal experience, but for approximately 1 in 10 individuals, grief can become impairing. Despite servicemembers’ frequent exposure to death, research on grief in the military remains limited. The purpose of the study was to explore the prevalence and correlates of complicated grief (CG) in military primary care. A quantitative survey was conducted with 161 non-treatment-seeking service members, veterans, and their dependents, of whom 138 reported a significant loss. Results revealed that 35% of the respondents who were bereaved met the cut-off score of 25 on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG). Furthermore, 10% met the cut-off score of 30 on the Prolonged Grief Disorder-13-Revised Scale (PG-13-R). Importantly, death by suicide and pre-existing mental health conditions were associated with greater symptom severity. These findings have important implications for primary care providers and other clinicians working with military populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirituality is integral to the provision of high-quality health and mental healthcare. Despite this, there is limited research on how to assess and address spiritual determinants of health within primary care settings. Many individuals initiate care within primary care settings, and several will only receive care from their primary care provider. The high prevalence of individuals receiving care within primary care settings coupled with the positive impact spirituality has on health and mental health reveal the need to care for spiritual needs within primary care settings. Integrated care is a model of treatment that addresses the fragmentation of healthcare by assessing and addressing the psychosocial determinants of health within primary care settings. The structure of integrated care models is designed to treat the biological and psychosocial determinants of health and, as a result, provide suitable context for assessing and addressing spirituality in primary care settings. The purpose of this paper is to (1) summarize the efforts to integrate spirituality within primary care (whole person care models), (2) summarize the integrated care efforts to promote psychosocial integration, (3) highlight Christian mindfulness as a potential form of intervention to address spirituality within integrated care models, and (4) operationalize the delivery of Christian mindfulness within a fully integrated care model. The conclusions from the conceptual review include both practice innovation for the assessment and intervention of spirituality in integrated care as well as potential direction for future research to study Christian mindfulness within integrated care settings.

Mental and behavioral health concerns are common among primary care patients, yet patients are often unwilling to seek specialty mental health services. Integrated primary care services offer the opportunity to improve access and engagement in care, effectively manage symptoms, and enhance prevention efforts. While evidence-based transdiagnostic interventions such as Problem-Solving Therapy have demonstrated effectiveness in managing many of the common mental and behavioral health concerns that primary care patients report, its format is incompatible with the brief, 1-to-1 care format typical of integrated primary care services. This article discusses the adaptation and implementation of a problem-solving treatment for the primary care setting used within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Results of a national program evaluation are presented using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) program evaluation framework. Findings indicated that 84.5% of providers who enrolled in Problem-Solving Training in Primary Care (PST-PC) completed the program, and 78.2% of veterans who received PST-PC during the observation period completed the full 4-session protocol. Statistically and clinically significant improvements were observed in depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, general distress, and perceived resilience (Cohen's d range = 0.30–0.74) for the cohort of veterans who completed treatment. Exit survey responses showed that the protocol was well-received by both patients and providers, though modest evidence of long-term drift (e.g., inconsistent use of protocol handouts, use of protocol subcomponents vs. the full treatment course) emerged. Implications for future research and considerations to improve long-term fidelity and program sustainability are discussed. Public Significance Statement: This study suggests that a brief treatment, PST-PC, is feasible, effective, and capable of addressing diverse clinical concerns, such as depression or psychological distress typical of patients in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Manualized cognitive and behavioral therapies are increasingly used in primary care environments to improve nonpharmacological pain management. The Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (BCBT-CP) intervention, recently implemented by the Defense Health Agency for use across the military health system, is a modular, primary care–based treatment program delivered by behavioral health consultants integrated into primary care for patients experiencing chronic pain. Although early data suggest that this intervention improves functioning, it is unclear whether the benefits of BCBT-CP are sustained. The purpose of this paper is to describe the methods of a pragmatic clinical trial designed to test the effect of monthly telehealth booster contacts on treatment retention and long-term clinical outcomes for BCBT-CP treatment, as compared with BCBT-CP without a booster, in 716 Defense Health Agency beneficiaries with chronic pain. Design A randomized pragmatic clinical trial will be used to examine whether telehealth booster contacts improve outcomes associated with BCBT-CP treatments. Monthly booster contacts will reinforce BCBT-CP concepts and the home practice plan. Outcomes will be assessed 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after the first appointment for BCBT-CP. Focus groups will be conducted to assess the usability, perceived effectiveness, and helpfulness of the booster contacts. Summary Most individuals with chronic pain are managed in primary care, but few are offered biopsychosocial approaches to care. This pragmatic brief trial will test whether a pragmatic enhancement to routine clinical care, monthly booster contacts, results in sustained functional changes among patients with chronic pain receiving BCBT-CP in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated healthcare model incorporates behavioral health services into a medical setting to address patients' physical, emotional, and behavioral healthcare concerns. The integrated healthcare model has been associated with positive patient satisfaction and health outcomes, yet limited studies have examined, using qualitative methods, physicians' experiences of working alongside behavioral health consultants (BHCs) in integrated healthcare settings. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with pediatricians (N=4) working in an integrated healthcare model. Participants shared that as pediatricians they received personal, educational, and organizational benefits from an integrated healthcare model. Pediatricians also reported increased knowledge in effectively addressing mental health concerns for their patients and decreased physician stress-levels. Results of pediatricians' experiences working in an integrated healthcare setting are discussed with regard to their implications for clinical practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary care providers are the biggest prescribers of psychopharmacological medications. In this non-randomized retrospective examination, we asked whether primary care patients receiving behavioral health interventions with and without concurrent pharmacological treatments showed differential symptom improvement. Participants (79.4% women, 61.5% Hispanic, M age = 41.68, SD = 13.50) were 431 primary care patients referred to behavioral health with a primary concern of depression at one of three federally qualified health centers. Thirty-three percent of patients initiated or had an increase in pharmacotherapy concurrently with behavioral therapy; 26.9% had no change in medication during the episode of care, and 39.7% had no concurrent psychotropic medication prescribed during the episode of care. One-way analyses of variance revealed patients in the no medication group had higher global functioning, as measured by Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores, than patients who were taking medication, or who initated or had an increase in medication. There was a significant main effect of time, where patients had significantly higher GAF scores during their last session in comparison to the first session. All three patient groups experienced comparable improvements in GAF scores, but patients in the initiated/increased medication group were significantly more likely to terminate behavioral health treatment prematurely. Results suggest primary care patients experience improvements in functioning across an episode of behavioral health care, even without concurrent psychotropic medication use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral health problems are involved in the majority of primary care visits. These behavior disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, smoking, insomnia, etc.) are costly, burdensome to both the patient and the healthcare system, and result in greater medical utilization/cost and poorer future health outcomes. Integrated behavioral healthcare has been proposed as a model for more efficiently addressing the burden of behavioral health problems. While this model has demonstrated some promise in the treatment of behavioral health problems, as well as in the reduction in costs and improvement in healthcare outcomes, the primary prevention of behavioral health problems in this delivery model has been relatively neglected. The present paper discusses the potential value of incorporating the prevention of behavioral health problems into the annual physical/wellness checkup and proposes a detailed system for how this might be accomplished. Limitations, future research, and costs associated with increased prevention in a primary care context are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurs in integrated care face some of the same challenges in empirically demonstrating impact, regardless of the model of care they espouse. In this editorial, 2 leading model developers reflect on the state of the science in primary care integration, including research gaps and promising research underway. We asked these leaders to discuss conceptual areas of shared concern, and we present those with reference to the metaphor of the translational research bridge. Their insights resonate with one another and suggest a role for collaboration to advance empirical support for the implementation of integrated care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Greater understanding of the impact of low intensity psychosocial interventions delivered by behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) working in an integrated care program (ICP) may promote better depression care.Method: In a randomized controlled trial, 153 participants identified as depressed by their primary care provider (PCP) were assigned to ICP or usual care (UC, management by PCP, including specialty referral). In the ICP condition, BHCs worked collaboratively with PCPs and liaison psychiatrists.Results: ICP participants with lower and higher severity symptoms reported significantly greater use of coping strategies than UC participants at the 1-month follow up (lower: p = .002; higher: p = .016). ICP participants with lower severity continued to report significantly greater use of coping strategies than UC participants at the 4-month (p = .024), and 7-month (p = .012) follow ups. ICP participants were more likely to be following relapse preventions plans at the 4-month follow up (lower: 89.5% vs. 50%, p = .0.000; higher 74.1% vs. 33%, p = .0001). ICP participants also reported use of antidepressant medications on more days than UC participants at the 4-month follow up (lower: 21.27 vs. 14.49 days, p = .049; higher: 24.61 vs. 17.08 days, p = .035). Patient retention in the ICP was high, and ICP participants were significantly more satisfied with depression care than UC participants at follow-up assessments.Discussion: Delivery of low intensity psychosocial interventions by BHCs was associated with improvements to behavior charge targets. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary care behavioral health (PCBH) is a model of integrated healthcare service delivery that has been well established in the field of psychology and continues to grow. PCBH has been associated with positive patient satisfaction and health outcomes, reduced healthcare expenditures, and improved population health. However, much of the education and training on PCBH has focused on developing behavioral health providers to practice in this medical setting. Less attention has been paid to physician team members to support and practice within an integrated environment. This is problematic as underdeveloped physician team members may contribute to low utilization and attrition of behavioral health consultants. A scoping review was conducted to examine the training of physicians in this domain since 2006. Twenty-one studies were identified, predominantly in Family Medicine training programs. Although PCBH training was generally well received, more program evaluation, formalized curriculum, and faculty development are needed to establish best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To perform a factor analysis of the Practice Integration Profile (PIP), a 30-item practice-level measure of primary care and behavioral health integration derived from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Lexicon for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration.Data Sources: The PIP was completed by 735 individuals, representing 357 practices across the United States.Study Design: The study design was a cross-sectional survey. An exploratory factor analysis and assessment of internal consistency reliability via Cronbach's alpha were performed.Data Collection Methods: Participant responses were collected using REDCap, a secure, web-based data capture tool.Principal Findings: Five of the PIP's six domains had factor loadings for most items related to each factor representing the PIP of 0.50 or greater. However, one factor had items from two PIP domains that had loadings >0.50. A five-factor model with redistributed items resulted in improved factor loadings for all domains along with greater internal consistency reliability (>0.80).Conclusions: Five of the PIP's six domains demonstrated excellent internal consistency for measures of health care resources. Although minor improvements to strengthen the PIP are possible, it is a valid and reliable measure of the integration of primary care and behavioral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated primary care services have grown in popularity in recent years and demonstrated significant benefits to the patient experience, patient health, and health care operations. However, broader systems-level factors for health care organizations, such as utilization, access, and cost, have been understudied. The current study reviews the results of quality improvement project conducted by the U.S. Air Force, which has practiced integrated primary care behavioral health for over 20 years. This study focuses on exploring how shifting the access point for behavioral from specialty mental health clinics to primary care, along with the use of technicians in patient care, can improve a range of health outcomes. Retrospective data analysis was conducted on an internal Air Force quality improvement project implemented at three military treatment facilities from October 2014 to September 2015. Positive preliminary support for these innovations was seen in the form of expanded patient populations, decreased time to first appointment, increased patient encounters, and decreased purchased community care compared with non-participating sites. Incorporation of behavioral health technicians further increased number of patient encounters while maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction across diverse clinical settings; in fact, patients preferred appointments with both technicians and behavioral health providers, compared with appointments with behavioral health providers only. These findings encourage further systematic review of systems-level factors in primary care behavioral health and adoption of the use of provider extenders in primary care behavioral health clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the impact of integrating behavioral health services using the primary care behavioral health (PCBH) model on emergency department (ED) utilization.Data Sources: Utilization data from three Dane County, Wisconsin hospitals and four primary care clinics from 2003 to 2011.Study Design: We used a retrospective, quasi-experimental, controlled, pre-post study design. Starting in 2007, two clinics began integrating behavioral health into their primary care practices with a third starting in 2010. A fourth, nonimplementing, community clinic served as control. Change in emergency department and primary care utilization (number of visits) for patients diagnosed with mood and anxiety disorders was the outcomes of interest.Data Collection: Retrospective data were obtained from electronic patient records from the three main area hospitals along with primary care data from participating clinics.Principal Findings: Following the introduction of the PCBH model, one clinic experienced a statistically significant (p < .01, 95 percent CI 6.3-16.3 percent), 11.3 percent decrease in the ratio of ED visits to primary care encounters, relative to a control site, but two other intervention clinics did not.Conclusions: The PCBH model may be associated with a reduction in ED utilization, but better-controlled studies are needed to confirm this result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing interest in models that integrate behavioral health services into primary care. For patients with severe mental illness (SMI), a population with disproportionate morbidity and mortality, little is known about the impact of such models on primary care clinic utilization, and provider panels. We performed a retrospective cohort pilot study examining visit patterns for 1,105 patients with SMI overall, by provider, before, and after the implementation of a primary care behavioral health model which had a ramp up period from May 2006-August 2007. We used 2003-2012 electronic health record data from two clinics of a Federally Qualified Health Center and conducted interrupted time series and chi-square analyses. During the intervention period there was a significant increase in the proportion of visits per month to the clinic for patient with SMI relative to overall visits (0.27; 95% CI 0.22-0.32). After the intervention period, this rate declined (-0.23; -0.19-0.28) but remained above the pre-intervention period. After integration of behavioral health into our primary care clinics, there was a sharp increase in the number of patients with SMI, suggesting patient willingness to explore receiving care under this model. Clinics looking to adopt the model should be mindful of potential changes in patient subpopulations and proactively manage this transition.