Montefiore Health, University Hospital score $400,000 to integrate mental health care into primary care practices
As many as 25,000 people could get screened for depression, Montefiore said.
University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore--Photo by Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Montefiore Health System and the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine have been awarded grants that they hope will lead to primary care physicians in small practices better support for treating common behavioral health conditions like anxiety and depression.
The two grants, one for $188,320 from the United Hospital Fund and one for $215,670 from the New York State Health Foundation, will allow Montefiore to support and evaluate a new mental health advancement guide it helped create called "Advancing Integration of Behavioral Health into Primary Care: A Continuum-Based Framework." The publication, which is available online, serve as a framework to help six primary care practices in NYC and another five elsewhere in the state implement and/or improve access to behavioral health services.
[Also: NIH awards $5.3 million to Montefiore team to study effect of chemicals in NICUs]
"One in five New Yorkers experiences mental distress, which frequently affects their physical health. Most do not receive adequate care due to stigma and limited access to behavioral health services," Montefiore said.
Montefiore said as many as 25,000 individuals could get screened for depression and between one and two thousand will benefit from integrated services in these practices, which the framework laid out in the guide will assist with implementing, based on their resources and geography.
The new pilot program will be led by Henry Chung, vice president and chief medical officer of Montefiore's Care Management Organization and associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who was the lead author of the framework and the principal investigator of the pilot. His team will support the use of the framework among the participating practices, offer guidance on site-specific goals, and lead monthly for improving behavioral health integration. Practices will provide feedback on progress and challenges, helping them to shape long-lasting strategies.
"The pilot will result in practice changing recommendations and an updated guide that will inform clinicians, policymakers, and payers on how to best advance behavioral healthcare," Montefiore said.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
