Clinical Integration - Mental Health Integration

The aim of the Mental Health Integration program is to improve mental and behavioral healthcare for patients in primary care.  We work to  accomplish this by bringing together primary care practice teams and mental health organizations to work on better access, communication, and collaboration. Our goals are to:

• Increase the level of integration for mental and behavioral healthcare in primary care
• Create a sustainable model of mental healthcare in primary care 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES	INDICATORS
1. The patient and family are the center of    care	Improved patient clinical and functional outcomes; improved patient satisfaction
2. Level of intervention is matched to level of  need	Use of a standardized screening tool, linked to mental health assessment
3. Integrated Practice §    Well functioning care team §    Communication among primary care, mental health and care management §    Coordination of care for patient and family	§      Regular team meetings §      Improved provider and staff satisfaction §      Improvements on the Site Self-Assessment §      Mental health specialist in each primary care practice §      Care manager in each primary care practice
4. Biopsychosocial focus of care	Use of health and behavior codes in billing
5. Access to specialty mental healthcare §    Patient access to care §    Brief, focused mental health interventions in primary care §    Primary care provider access to consultation	§    Reduced time to 3rd next available appointment for the mental health specialist in primary care §    Improved provider satisfaction §    Access to informal psychiatry consults
6. Sustainable model of mental healthcare in primary care	Mental health professionals in primary care offices are reimbursed at a sustainable level
7. Links to community resources	Primary care connections with NAMI and other community mental health resources

Our clinical model of mental health care in primary care is evidence-based and patient centered. It is based on the Chronic Care Model, as are all approaches to chronic illness developed by MaineHealth Clinical Integration.

MaineHealth's Mental Health Integration Program staff:

• Neil Korsen, MD, MSc, Medical Director
• Cynthia Cartwright, MT, RN, MSEd, Program Manager
• Mary Jean Mork, LCSW, Program Manager
• Gina Marquis, Administrative Associate  

Resources in this section:                                                             
Links to other useful websites for healthcare professionals
Clinical tools - Screening and Assessment
Patient education materials - Depression

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Please email comments to: Neil Korsen, M.D.