Integrated Health
St. John Fisher University
Integrated Care combines primary health care and mental health care in one setting. There are many ways to integrate care, and they may go by different names, including “Collaborative Care” or "Health Homes." This is an important model of care because:
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Primary care settings, like a doctor's office, provide about half of all mental health care for common psychiatric disorders
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Adults with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders also have higher rates of chronic physical illnesses and die earlier than the general population
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People with common physical health conditions also have higher rates of mental health issues.
Providing Integrated Care helps patients and their providers. It blends the expertise of mental health, substance use, and primary care clinicians, with feedback from patients and their caregivers. This creates a team-based approach where mental health care and general medical care are offered in the same setting. Coordinating primary care and mental health care in this way can help address the physical health problems of people with serious mental illnesses. (National Institute of Mental Health)
