Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness.*
HealthCare Partners (HCP) joins the national movement to raise awareness about mental health.
Behavioral (or mental) health are terms used to describe a number of problems that may affect someone’s mental well-being, such as stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, or other psychological issues. Additional issues may include substance use, eating, or psychotic disorders.
Primary care settings are increasingly the first line of identification for behavioral health issues, especially depression. Helping your patients learn to talk about and understand their mental health issues is important for their overall health. Since their emotional state may impact their physical health, participating in treatment can help patients lead healthier lives.
Refer your patients to HCP so we can connect them to vital mental health resources!
Recognizing Mental Health Issues
Relationships that patients have with their doctors have proven to be one of the most important factors in ensuring individuals receive appropriate behavioral health care.
Here are some of the signs that may signal it is time for your patient to receive help:
- Eating or sleeping too much or not enough
- Losing interest in people and activities
- Feeling hopeless
- Aches and pains
- Drinking alcohol too much or using drugs
- Irritability and anger
- Feeling depressed or isolated
- Thoughts of harming oneself or others
- Thoughts of suicide
Behavioral Health Resources
Our Social Work and Behavioral Health Department is designed to work in collaboration with members and providers to promote and enhance positive outcomes. Our licensed social workers connect members to community resources to address social determinants and to provide care management services.
HCP has partnered with Valera Health and Advanced Health Network/Recovery Health Solutions (AHN/RHS) to provide a network of high-quality behavioral health providers, such as therapists and psychiatrists, who can manage your patients’ issues. They use a coordinated care model that effectively manages mild/moderate and high acuity patients. They also:
- Provide real-time communication that allows us to know how your patient is progressing and if additional action is required.
- Are experienced in helping to achieve top HEDIS scores for behavioral health measures.
- Assist in improving patient health outcomes, decreasing long-term care costs, and a reduction in hospitalizations.
When you contact our social work team with a referral, we will direct your patient to an appropriate behavioral health specialist and provide ongoing support towards self-management goals. Your patient’s progress will be monitored. Our goal is to collaborate on your patient’s plan of care by providing you with the results of behavioral health screening tools, such as PHQ-9.
Visit our Social Work and Behavioral Health webpage for information on additional behavioral health screening tools and resources. To help you identify behavioral health concerns, access our pocket reference guide, Health Care that Matters. You can also visit mentalhealth.gov to learn more.
For Help With Your Patients’ Behavioral Health Care Needs
Our Social Work and Behavioral Health teams can direct your patients to needed resources. Please complete the Social Work Services Referral Form and email it to SWRef@hcpipa.com or call (855) 427-4744.
Feel free to contact us with questions or concerns.
*National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health By the Numbers