Availability of Integrated Primary Care Services in Community Mental Health Care Settings

Psychiatr Serv. 2019 Jun 1;70(6):499-502. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201800448. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the availability of primary care and wellness services in community mental health centers (CMHCs) and outpatient mental health facilities (OMHFs).

Methods: This study used data from the 2016 National Mental Health Services Survey to examine the proportion of facilities that reported offering integrated primary care and wellness services (smoking and tobacco cessation counseling, diet and exercise counseling, and chronic disease and illness management). The study used logistic regression to model the odds that a facility offered integrated primary care as a function of facility characteristics.

Results: Across states, 23% of CMHCs and 19% of OMHFs offered integrated primary care. The odds of offering integrated primary care were significantly higher among facilities that reported more quality improvement practices, prohibited smoking, or offered wellness services. Less than one third offered smoking and tobacco cessation counseling or other wellness services.

Conclusions: Integrated primary care remains uncommon in CMHCs and OMHFs and is more likely among facilities with certain characteristics.

Keywords: Community mental health centers; Medical morbidity and mortality in psychiatric patients.

MeSH terms

  • Community Mental Health Centers / statistics & numerical data*
  • Counseling
  • Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / organization & administration*
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Hospitals, Psychiatric / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Mental Health Services / organization & administration*
  • Primary Health Care / organization & administration*
  • Smoking Cessation / statistics & numerical data
  • Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / statistics & numerical data
  • United States