Why Integrating Behavioral Health Into Primary Care Has Never Been More Important

In the U.S., even before the pandemic, 67 percent of people presenting with behavioral health disorders weren’t receiving the care they needed. In the last two years, side effects of the pandemic such as isolation and delaying care, have exacerbated the Silent Epidemic of behavioral health issues. Adults reporting anxiety and/or depressive disorder are up and the number of these adults not accessing treatment is also up. Deaths due to drug overdose are up dramatically, and suicide rates have increased in almost every state. Especially at this time and especially for our most vulnerable populations, integrating behavioral health with primary care has never been a more worthy investment. It increases access to behavioral healthcare, improves health outcomes for people with mental illness and/or substance use disorders, improves behaviors such as compliance with treatment recommendations, exercise, and diet, and reduces overall health care costs. During this session, a panel of experts will discuss how the integrated model of care can be applied both in traditional and home-based primary care settings. They will also share their experience and recommendations for launching and sustaining models of integrated care that work.

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