Behavioral Health Care Delivery
Opportunities to Improve Quality, Costs and Outcomes
Health reform creates new impetus and opportunity for better managing the care delivered to individuals with behavioral health conditions. Expansion of health insurance generally, along with improved coverage of behavioral health treatment under parity laws, will broaden access to needed services.
One in four Americans experiences a mental illness or substance abuse disorder each year, and the majority also has a comorbid physical health condition. In 2009, more than 2 million discharges from community hospitals were for a primary diagnosis of mental illness or substance abuse disorder.…
The following organizations offer mental and behavioral health resources and tools to aid health care providers and individuals in their communities.
Hospital leaders should encourage and actively participate in 1) developing a community-wide and/or regional plan for persons with behavioral health disorders and 2) coordinating community agencies addressing behavioral health needs.
Community hospitals can play an important role in the broad continuum of care for individuals who have behavioral health conditions.
One in four Americans experiences a mental illness or substance abuse disorder each year. Behavioral health conditions – encompassing both of the above – are the leading cause of disability and death, when considered together, for women and the second highest cause for men.Mental illnesses are…