Data Storyteller

With the rapid shift to telehealth services propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, many community health centers had to rapidly transition to a mechanism of care delivery previously unknown and unfamiliar. Within a matter of days and weeks, health centers creatively found ways to transform workflows and approaches to care delivery to continue to provide care even if the patient was physically distant. This resource highlights promising practices in virtual integrated behavioral health care identified from community health centers. 

Patient privacy and confidentiality form a crucial component of the patient-doctor treatment relationship, particularly when seeking treatment for mental health or substance use disorders. Multiple federal privacy laws, in addition to state laws, provide privacy protections for mental health and substance use disorder treatment records, while permitting communication of these records to other healthcare providers, patients’ families, and others.

Privacy and confidentiality concerns are currently limiting the inclusion of behavioral health data in electronic health information exchange efforts. ONC has provided a number of tools and recommendations to address some of these concerns.

HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) is pleased to offer a webinar hosted by the SAMHSA- HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions that will address strategies to leverage health information technology and technologies that support population health management and data aggregation to facilitate and sustain behavioral health interventions. Presenters will share best practices for health centers in streamlining and sustaining behavioral health workflows and maximizing their electronic health record to ensure comprehensive and accurate billing and coding.

As more health centers seek to break down siloes that can fragment patient care, collaboration with or integration of behavioral health care has been strengthened, although data integration remains difficult and privacy remains paramount. This brief discusses some of the approaches, successes, and challenges in integrating behavioral health data within primary care services.