Behavioral Health Integration

Mental health issues and concerns often emerge during primary care visits, yet only 3% of psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners coordinate care with primary care practitioners. Evidence shows, however, that integrating behavioral health services into primary care can enhance mental health care access and coordination, improve outcomes and reduce costs.

PBGH provides technical assistance to providers and delivery systems in support of enhanced integration. At the same time, we’re working to align efforts across health plans and supporting organizations to eliminate primary care barriers to integration in areas, such as data sharing, aligned payment and incentives, and technical assistance.

Program Initiatives


CQC Behavioral Health Integration Initiative

Read More about CQC Behavioral Health Integration Initiative

Meeting patients’ mental health needs and considering social impacts on their health are fundamental to providing comprehensive, patient-centered and high-quality care.


CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration (2023-2026)

Read More about CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration (2023-2026)

The CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration Improvement Collaborative is a three-year program operated by PBGH’s California Quality Collaborative (CQC) that begins July 2023 and will focus on supporting California-based primary care practices as they integrate behavioral health services.


Patient-Reported Outcomes — Mental Health

Read More about Patient-Reported Outcomes — Mental Health

PBGH develops, implements and tests patient-reported mental health measures to improve treatment.

Resources

Behavioral Health Integration Improvement Collaborative Curriculum

Get the Balance Right (Part 1)

An outline for building a financially sustainable program of integrated behavioral health services in primary care.

Get the Balance Right (Part 2)

Leaders offer strategic planning around sustainable integrated behavioral health services.

CQC Toolkit: Implement Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening in Primary Care

This toolkit is a collection of evidence-based interventions and resources for ambulatory care provider organizations to implement Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) screening and follow-up care.

Weaving Together Mental and Physical Health Care Outside the Safety Net

This 2020 paper, supported by the California Health Care Foundation, focuses on opportunities to support practice change in primary care to deliver integrated care outside the safety net.

Upcoming Events and Training

June 5, 2024

CQC Webinar: Behavioral Health Integration – Children and Youth Collaborative Learning Exchange Program

BHI-CYCLE is a nine-month learning collaborative beginning October 2024 that will bring together organizations experienced in integrating behavioral health services into primary care for children and youth. ​BHI-CYCLE aims to improve behavioral health integration for children and youth by showcasing, sprouting and sharing the practices and solutions used by leading provider organizations.

Past Events and Training

June 13, 2023

Behavioral Health Integration Fundamentals: Concepts & Models

Integrating behavioral health into primary care is essential for providers looking to deliver patient-centered, high-quality and whole-person care. Yet many health care organizations struggle with knowing where to begin.

November 30, 2022

CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration Improvement Collaborative: Informational Webinar

The CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration Improvement Collaborative is a three-year program launched in July 2023 and will focus on supporting California based provider organizations as they integrate behavioral health services into their primary care practices.

May 25, 2022

CQC Webinar – Behavioral Health Integration: Telehealth Promising Practices

Hear on-the-ground lessons around behavioral health integration, and understand opportunities around effective virtual care.

May 18, 2021

Adolescent Mental Health 2021

Access to high-quality, measurement-based adolescent mental health care is critical, particularly at this time. The PBGH Adolescent Mental Health Showcase […]

Depression Webinar Cover Slide
March 31, 2021

CQC Webinar: Increase Depression Screening

In this meeting, attendees shared challenges and questions related to depression screening at their organizations, and identified a next step they could apply at their own organizations.

September 29, 2020

Accelerating Integrated Care: Measure Screening and Access for Behavioral Health

Second webinar in Accelerating Integrated care series, attendees learned why measuring behavioral health screening and access is important.