Trinitas Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center – Trinitas-St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Network

Overview

In response to the rapidly growing need for more coordinated mental health care services in New Jersey, Trinitas Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center launched the largest and most comprehensive Integrated Behavioral Health Network in Northern New Jersey. Launched in December 2016, the new partnership will enhance access and continuity of care by ensuring patients receive services in the most appropriate setting for their complex behavioral health needs.

Trinitas Regional Medical Center is a 554-bed full-service health care facility. St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center is an academic tertiary care medical center and state designated trauma center. Both Trinitas and St. Joseph’s offer a comprehensive array of behavioral health treatment centers, programs and services at dozens of outpatient and satellite facilities throughout the region. Now together, their newly combined network dramatically expands those access points and the opportunities for enhanced outcomes. The Trinitas-St. Joseph’s network also includes primary medical care in the behavioral health continuum to engage patients at the onset of mental health and substance use issues, allowing for earlier diagnosis and referral to the best possible treatment options.

Impact

Following are some of the expected benefits of the Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network:

• Connects services that cover a larger geographic region (Union, Passaic & Essex Counties)
• Addresses the needs of all behavioral health groups – children, adolescents, adults and the elderly, as well as individuals with addiction or developmental disorders
• Reduces demands on emergency personnel and the cost of care
• Supports the shift to population health outcomes and value-based payment models
• Enhances the ability to partner with health plans/insurers to improve access and care
• Expands delivery and treatment approaches, such as telepsychiatry and medical homes
• Provides one-call patient access via Assessment Center and dedicated 800 number
• Provides multi-disciplinary treatment that includes medical, psychiatric, psychological, social work and related disciplines

Network services will be available to commercial, self-pay, Medicaid and Medicare patients.

Lessons Learned

The leadership of the network found that the old precepts of “less is more” and “keep it simple” were valuable in guiding the building process. “We found that starting out with a very specific focus and goal, then building incrementally is the best way to grow an integrated program,” explained James McCreath, executive director of the joint network.

Future Goals

The strength of the new network will not only increase access to care in appropriate settings across three counties, it will result in better outcomes for patients as they move away from the current short-term acute care focus with independent services and programs, to a more patient-centered connected network designed to improve long-term health status.

Contact: Doug Harris
Vice President, Marketing & Public Relations
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
Telephone: 908-994-5138
Email: dharris@trinitas.org