The California Integration Learning Collaborative: A Forum to Address Challenges of SUD-Primary Care Service Integration

Abstract

The California Substance Use Disorder (SUD)/Health Care Integration Learning Collaborative (CILC) aims to provide an interactive forum where county administrators, SUD provider organization representatives, and other key stakeholders can collaborate to identify successful models and processes for SUD integration into primary health care, as well as common barriers and solutions. We present the topics discussed within the CILC that have focused on common barriers to SUD and health care integration (documentation/data privacy, financing, and partnering with primary care providers). This article describes the discussions, presentations, and lessons learned from the CILC addressing each of these three barriers.

Keywords:

• behavioral health integration (California)
• health policy
• primary care
• service integration
• substance use disorder treatment

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the following organizations for their contribution to this manuscript by their participation in the Integration Learning Collaborative: County of Kern Mental Health Department, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Alcohol and Drug Program Administration, Merced County Mental Health and Drug Services, Orange County Health Care Agency Division of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services, Butte County Alcohol and Drug Program, County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Riverside County Department of Mental Health Substance Abuse Services, County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health, and the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System Department of Alcohol and Drug Services.

Notes

1. The work described above has been funded by the CA Department of Alcohol and Drug Problems Contract #09-00115.

2. CILC website: http://www.uclaisap.org/index.html

3. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was designed to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology.