The Current System

Healthcare systems currently treat mental health and physical health as separate. We go to our primary care for our physical health concerns and are referred to mental health for those concerns. What happens when these 2 areas of our health overlap? This is where Integrated behavioral health is most needed.

What is Integrated Behavioral Health?

Integrated behavioral health is a system of healthcare that treats the patient as a whole. When a system of healthcare becomes integrated, it allows medical doctors, mental health professionals, and the patient to work together. This kind of system has multiple benefits for patients, such as:

• Proximity - In these systems, medical doctors and mental health professionals share office space or work within the same area to offer quick referrals and warm handoffs to their patients.

• Medical Records - With integrated behavioral health, your medical records are shared between providers, allowing for a more comprehensive view of the patient.

• Collaboration - In these systems, your medical doctor and mental health professional collaborate to provide you with the best medical care. This means that they meet and discuss your health as a team instead of as separate entities.