Perceptions of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services Integration Among the Workforce in Primary Care Settings

Abstract

It is important to understand the perceptions of staff members who will be implementing the expected integration of mental health and substance use services into primary care. Surveys were administered to mental health/substance use disorder (MH/SUD) staff, support staff (SS), and primary care providers (PCPs) from three organizations (seven sites) that were participating in an initiative to promote the integration of MH/SUD services into primary care in Kern County, California. Results suggest that integration and MH/SUD services are highly valued among all staff types, and that staff are uniformly interested in further MH/SUD training. However, there were significant differences in staff perceptions. MH/SUD staff and services were valued by PCPs more than MH/SUD staff perceived being valued by PCPs, and MH/SUD staff were less likely to agree that communication with PCPs was good. Information seemed to flow better from MH/SUD staff to PCPs than in the other direction.

Keywords:

• integration
• mental health
• primary care
• substance abuse
• substance use disorders

Notes

1. These services are commonly referred to as “behavioral health” services. However, often the term “behavioral health” is used to describe mental health services only in the absence of substance use disorder services. Therefore, to emphasize the equal existence of both types of services, we use the term MH/SUD in this article.

2. MH/SUD staff were asked if they agreed that “As a behavioral health consultant, you are able to provide the kinds of services you want for your patients.” PCPs were asked if they agreed that “The behavioral health consultant(s) provides the kinds of services you want for your patients.”

3. MH/SUD staff were asked if they agreed that “Primary healthcare providers value the kind of services behavioral health staff at my clinic provide for patients.” SS and PCP staff were asked if they agreed that “The behavioral health staff provide the kinds of services I want for my patients.”