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Suzanne Feetham, PhD, RN, FAAN, Division of Clinical Quality, Health Resources and Services Administration/Bureau of Primary Health Care, 4350 East West Highway, 11th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-443-2710, SFeetham@hrsa.gov, Harriet G. McCombs, PhD, Division of Clinical Quality/Clinical Quality Improvement Branch, Health Resources and Services Administration/Bureau of Primary Health Care, 4350 East West Highway, 8th floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, Latecia Engram, MSPH, Office of Policy, Evaluation an Data, Health Resources and Services Administration/Bureau of Primary Health Care, 4350 East West Highway, 11th floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, and Charles Daly, MHA, FACHE, Office of Policy, Evaluation and Data, Health Resources and Services Administration/Bureau of Primary Health Care, 4350 East West Highway, 11th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814.
Objectives: Access to mental health/substance abuse (MH/SA) services is critical to ensuring the overall health and well being of the populations served by Health Resources Services Administration's Bureau of Primary Health Care health centers. MH/SA disorders, such as depression and abuse of alcohol are prevalent among underserved populations, and may be prevented or managed in community based primary health care settings. This paper reports on integrated MH/SA care services provided community based health centers during 1996-2002. Methods: Data are derived from health center and patient surveys: (1) the Uniform Data System tracks annual health center use, services, and staffing; and (2) the User/Visit Survey describes patient demographic characteristics, and clinical encounters. Results: Since 2001, access to MH/SA services has increased to the over 11.32 million patients in over 3,400 sites by integrating MH/SA care in new and established access sites. In 2002, 71% of the 843 health center grantees provided MH/SA services either on-site or by paid referral. The rate of MH/SA encounters exceeded those of any other diagnostic categories reported. In 2001, health centers reported over 31 million medical visits to more than 9 million medical patients, averaging 3.40 general medical visits per patient compared with an average of 6.72 for patients with MH/SA diagnoses. Between 1996-2001 there was growth in MH/SA encounters (21%), treatment specialists (42%), and service capacity for MH (26%) and SA (10%). Findings: These results demonstrate increased access to integrated care and the importance of treating MH/SA disorders and co-occurring conditions in primary care settings.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Community Health Centers, Mental Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employed by HRSA/BPHC