(Adopted March 2017)
Many Americans experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse and other behavioral health disorders in their lifetimes, but few are screened within primary care and even fewer are able to access comprehensive treatment. Integrating behavioral health services into primary care has been shown to be more patient-centered, helping those in need access services, resulting in healthier patients and healthier populations. This workgroup met from April 2016 to March 2017 to define integrated behavioral health care, create a common vocabulary, and developed eight common elements that outline a minimum standard of integrated care including for:
- Integrated care team
- Patient access to behavioral health as a routine part of care
- Accessibility and sharing of patient information
- Practice access to psychiatric services
- Operational systems and workflows to support population-based care
- Evidence-based treatments
- Patient involvement in care
- Data for quality improvement
Implementation Tools
Behavioral Health Integration Webinar
Supporting Materials
Letter from Health Care Authority Accepting Behavioral Health Integration Recommendations
Behavioral Health Charter and Roster
Behavioral Health Integration Core Process Measures
Behavioral Health Integration Guideline Checklist
Workgroup Members
| Member | Title | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Brad Berry | Executive Director | Consumer Voices Are Born |
| Regina Bonnevie, MD | Medical Director | Peninsula Community Health Services |
| Michelle Guerra, MD | Senior Clinician | Premera |
| Larry Marx, MD | Medical Director, Behavioral Health Support Services | Kaiser Permanente |
| Rose Ness, MA, LMHC, CDP | Behavioral Health Expert | Sound Integration for Behavioral Healthcare |
| Kim McDermott, MD | Physician | NeighborCare |
| Mary Kay O’Neill MD, MBA | Partner | Mercer |
| Joe Roszak | CEO | Kitsap Mental Health Services |
| Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD/ Anne Shields, MHA, RN |
Director of the UW Integrated Care Training Program, Associate Director for Education/Associate Director | AIMS Center, University of Washington |
| Jeff Reiter, PhD | Lead Psychologist | Swedish Medical Services |
| Julie Rickard, PhD | Program Director of Integrated Behavioral Services | Confluence Health |
| Brian Sandoval, PsyD | Behavioral Health Manager, Oregon and Washington Services | Yakima Valley Farmworkers Clinics |
| Lani Spencer, RN, MHA | Vice President | Health Care Management Services, Amerigroup –Washington |
| Emily Transue, MD, MHA | Senior Medical Director | Coordinated Care |
| Melet Whinston, MD | Medical Director | United Health Care |