Integrated care looks different in every community. In their own words, the providers, nurses, care coordinators, and behavioral health teams of BH2I share how they are bringing care together for the people they serve. In this video, grantee staff and initiative partners discuss:
- Bringing mental health and substance use services together into one behavioral health program
- Co-locating behavioral health and primary care to reduce stigma, shorten wait times, and support warm handoffs
- Routine depression screening (PHQ-2 and PHQ-9) that connects patients to behavioral health during medical visits
- Workforce challenges, provider buy-in, and the growing role of case management
- Building sustainability through billing and leadership support
- Incorporating culture, language, and traditional medicines into care
- Advice for organizations starting their own integration efforts
Each community defined its own path. Together, their experience offers practical lessons for any health system working toward whole-person care.