Looking Ahead

Since its inception three years ago, the behavioral healthcare integrated model has dramatically increased the access and efficiency of behavioral health care to community health center patients. Currently, six health center sites and nine behavioral health professionals are serving patients with an integrated approach to primary care and behavioral health (HFP 2009a).

Going forward, HFP and its partners are still looking to address some challenges:

• Quantifying results and establishing a quality improvement program: It is clear that the behavioral healthcare integrated model has improved the behavioral healthcare system by increasing efficiency and effectiveness. The next step is to quantify the advantages and measure the model’s progress. In the examination of social return on investment, we have attempted to pinpoint several areas where the model has made an impact.
• Scaling up the program to pediatric patients and additional health centers in Philadelphia: The behavioral healthcare integrated model works well in the Philadelphia area because of several possibly unique factors. It was developed with a high degree of involvement among all participants, and it has a unifying organization, HFP, to spearhead its progress. Expanding the model will require ongoing resources to support training and dissemination as well an available supply of qualified behavioral health specialists.
• Obtaining continued funding: Although we have shown in the social return on investment that the model yields significant cost savings, its implementation actually increases the cost to the health centers. Depending on the proportion of Medicaid insured patients, reimbursements can offset a significant portion of the labor costs. Also, in order to continue developing and replicating the model, more training and education, as well as ongoing coordination and advocacy, are needed.

While HFP works to address these challenges, it will continue to support the implementation of the behavioral health care integrated model in Philadelphia so that patients will receive the care they need.