Family physicians on the front lines of mental health care
As Illinois and the nation grapple with mental health challenges, many people who are in dire need of mental health services are unable to find or afford the help they need. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the pressing need for integrating behavioral health services into primary care is vital to meeting the needs of people in Illinois.
Family physicians can help. We are integral in providing mental health screening, diagnosis and treatment. For many, their mental health journey begins in a family physician’s office.
Family physicians perform nearly 40% of all visits by patients seeking treatment for depression, anxiety, substance use disorder and other mental health concerns. Primary care practices provide almost a third of the services and request a quarter of the prescriptions for serious mental illness. But for patients in practices without behavioral health services that must refer them elsewhere, workforce shortages and long waitlists hinder access to mental health care.
Illinois became the first state in the country to enact a law that requires private and public insurance programs to reimburse the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model (CoCM). CoCM is a specific type of integrated care to treat common mental health conditions in medical settings such as pediatricians’ and family physicians’ offices. Providing behavioral health services on-site in primary care can alleviate perceived stigma and also decrease disparities and delays in accessing psychiatric care. Integrated care helps physicians efficiently and effectively manage both physical and mental health concerns.
By investing in primary care and strengthening the connections between physical and mental health services, we can ensure everyone has access to the mental health care they need. That investment means improved payment for these services, along with training and education for physicians to integrate behavioral health into their practices. Mental health and physical health are connected, and their care plans must be, too.
Emma Daisy, M.D., president, Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, Evanston