Overall well-being is a function of both mental and physical health. Just as screening and evaluation for mental illnesses and addictions is increasingly available in primary care settings, screening and evaluation for general health problems must be available in behavioral health settings. Despite funding and staffing barriers and confusing liability and confidentiality issues, many community behavioral healthcare organizations have implemented innovative clinical and financing models to address the comprehensive healthcare needs of those they serve. The National Council offers the resources to support the replication and adaptation of models that are effectively providing comprehensive care.

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Chronic Medical Conditions in People with Serious Mental Illness

Individuals with severe mental illness are at risk for chronic medical conditions that may negatively impact their progress. Learn how you can help them be physically healthy without sacrificing effective treatment — view our webcast, Addressing Physical Health Needs Within Mental Healthcare.

The webcast records a multidisciplinary forum presented by the National Council in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company during the 38th National Council Conference in Boston, May 2008.

The webcast includes

• An overview of the causes of physical illness in people with severe mental illness — cardiovascular disease, diabetes, substance abuse, and smoking.
• Need for and approaches in improving primary care for mental health consumers.
• Clinical perspectives and case studies on integrating physical and mental healthcare.
• Operational models for integrating physical care with mental healthcare delivery, with an emphasis on the community mental health center setting

The webcast features insights from leading experts — Joseph Parks, MD;
Thomas Liffick, MD; J. Sloan Manning, MD; Benjamin Druss, MD, MPH; and Judith Boardman, MSNCS, PhD

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Integrated Healthcare Delivery Resources

National Council's Behavioral Health-Primary Care Listserve.

National Council's Behavioral Health Primary Care Learning Community.

National Council fact sheet: An avoidable tragedy — the relationship of premature death and serious mental illness, June 2007

Mind and body reunited: Improving care at the behavioral and primary healthcare interface, March 2007

Special edition of National Council newsletter on behavioral health and primary care coordination, featuring experts perspectives and provider success stories, December 2006

Finance, policy, and integration of services, July 2006

The Four Quadrant Model and evidence based practices, February 2006

Environmental assessment tool, state level policy and financing, Spring 2004

Behavioral health/primary care integration models, competencies, and infrastructure, May 2003

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Primary Care-Mental Health Collaborative Project

Selected National Council members organizations, along with their primary care partners, are currently participating in the third phase of the Primary Care Mental Health Collaborative Project. The project is designed to help community mental health and addictions treatment organizations create mutually beneficial relationships with primary care organizations in their communities. During this process, participating organizations will increase referrals from primary care, create a structure that ensures collaborative care for shared patients, and increase clients’ access to primary care services.

Project participants currently:

• Participate in a learning community with other sites that share their interest. This structure allows for peer-to-peer learning and problem solving.
• Receive more than 50 hours of free consultation from nationally recognized researchers and consultants in the area of primary care integration.
  
• Utilize a web-based clinical registry to track patients and support their change process.