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The AMA has released a new how-to guide on integrated care for older adults that empowers physician practices and health systems with practical strategies for overcoming obstacles to accessible and equitable treatment for their patients’ behavioral, mental and physical health needs.
The AMA has also released a new behavioral health coding resource for physicians and their care teams to utilize when administering behavioral health preventative services, screening and/or treatment plans.
Check out these behavioral health integration (BHI) practice guides focused on effective integrated care below:
- Behavioral Health Coding Resource (released July 17, 2023)
- Integrated behavioral health care for older adults (released June 25, 2023)
- Practice workflow design
- Pharmacological treatment
- Substance use disorder screening and treatment
- Suicide prevention
BHI practice guides for your practice
Behavioral health coding for your practice
The behavioral health coding guide outlines key CPT codes that physicians and their care teams can use (as appropriate) when administering behavioral health screening, treatment, and/or preventative services.
Integrated behavioral health care for older adults
The integrated behavioral health care for older adults practice guide provides primary care practices with actionable, evidence-based guidance on the nuances of integrated care for the behavioral health needs of older adults.
Designing a workflow for behavioral health integration
The workflow guide identifies key questions and criteria to help organizations establish a BHI workflow that will suit both the needs of their practice and ultimately their patients.
Psychopharmacology guide on prescribing psychotropic medications
The psychopharmacology practice guide offers evidence-based guidance to primary care practices regarding when and how to treat patients with psychotropic medications so they may lead more fulfilling and productive lives
Substance use disorder treatment guide
The practice guide on substance use disorder provides primary care providers with actionable, evidence-based steps to identify and address unhealthy substance use/misuse in their patients.
Suicide prevention guide to treat at-risk patients
This suicide prevention practice guide empowers physician practices and health systems with actionable steps and evidence-based resources to identify at-risk patients and connect them with the most appropriate treatment plan.
Also, the BHI Collaborative's BHI Compendium, which serves as a tool to help provide a proven pathway for delivering integrated behavioral care, has been enhanced with additional resources and case studies ensuring physician practices and health systems have the most recent and actionable information at their disposal.
Additional BHI resources
- Behavioral health integration in physician practices
- BHI Collaborative webinar series
- AMA STEPS Forward® BHI Into Primary Care toolkit
- Private practice BHI tip sheets for adult (PDF) and pediatric (PDF) populations
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
With an increased number of people reporting worsening mental health in recent years, it is imperative that people are aware of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) telephone program.
People experiencing a suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress can call, chat or text 988, and speak to trained crisis counselors. The national hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The previous National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will continue to be operational and route calls to 988 indefinitely.
