Depression and alcohol use disorder are common behavioral health conditions in adults, yet they are often under-identified in primary care settings. Additionally, challenges in effective care coordination for these and other behavioral health conditions contribute to high unnecessary hospital readmissions and barriers to treatment adherence.

To bring about significant change, atom Alliance is partnering with Cherokee Health Systems and mdlogix to build a robust process for integrating behavioral health into primary care practices and to improve care transitions from inpatient-psychiatric facilities across the five atom Alliance states—Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Cherokee Health Systems
Cherokee Health Systems (CHS) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and a comprehensive Community Mental Health Center serving more than 60,000 patients in 14 counties at 23 clinics in east Tennessee. CHS has been nationally recognized for its progressive and innovate model of integrated primary and behavioral healthcare by leading healthcare agencies and organizations, including Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

CHS will leverage their expertise in the area of behavioral health and primary care integration. As part of their contribution to this process, Cherokee will offer champion training to providers, virtual on-demand webinars and training materials for integrating behavioral health in the primary care setting, at no cost to our practices.

mdlogix
mdlogix is a rapidly growing healthcare software company founded in 1997 with expertise in clinical medicine, public health, health science informatics, computer science and software engineering.
mdlogix created BH-Works, a comprehensive solution for assessing the 14 major domains in behavioral and mental health issues. The solution provides an efficient package for identifying, treating, referring and tracking of patients and/or students with behavioral and mental health issues. It has been scientifically studied and validated for populations of all ages, offering screening tools for adolescents, adults and seniors within different settings including emergency departments, Crisis Centers, primary care clinics and schools.

Collaboratively, we will

• Increase the identification in primary care settings of adults with depression or alcohol use disorder through the implementation and use of verified screeners
• Reduce the 30-day unnecessary hospital readmission rate
• Increase outpatient adherence following psychiatric discharges

We will achieve these goals by

• Providing technical assistance and targeted training to primary care providers, inpatient psychiatric facilities and associated providers and communities
• Monitoring and evaluating the success of the methods of assistance and integration of behavioral health
• Engaging providers and patients in Learning and Action Netowrks (LANs) for continued education and learning opportunities
• Engaging with our stakeholder organizations, agencies and other experts working to advance the same goals

To join us in advancing the integration of behavioral health in the primary care setting, email Archie Hamilton, atom Alliance Behavioral Health Manager or call 901-273-2697. Learn more here.

Archie Hamilton

Archie Hamilton has 20 years of experience in behavioral and mental health counseling and a Masters degree in counseling. He is a certified Motivational Interviewing Trainer and has specialized experience in case management and substance abuse services.