SmartCare: Integrated Physical and Behavioral Healthcare for Rural Families

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

With health care reform on the horizon, many counties have started programs to keep in pace with new federal legislation. San Diego County got a head start by developing SmartCare, a program to provide integrated physical and behavioral health care to the rural areas that are historically underserved, particularly when it comes to mental health treatment. By working with existing community clinics, SmartCare created comprehensive, one-stop wellness sites, making access to behavioral health care not only easier, but also more appealing by reducing the stigma factor. In community clinics, behavioral health consultants and educators work side by side with primary care staff to identify potential behavioral health concerns in patients and help them move towards healthier living. This early intervention allows the patient to receive preventative services and interventions before their problems become so severe that they require more intense specialty mental health services.