This concise guide offers a primer for behavioral health care professionals who are new to integrated primary care systems, with a particular focus on the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model of integrated service delivery.

Integrated care can be a daunting environment for mental health providers. ​Even experienced clinicians may feel uncertain about their role in integrated care settings, and the precise nature of their responsibilities toward other care providers and patients. This book provides an overview of integrated primary care for mental health professionals. In clear, straightforward language, it describes the benefits and key components of integrated care, with a special emphasis on the Primary Care Behavioral Health model of service delivery. Guided by competencies developed by the American Psychological Association and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, clinicians learn to use standard resources, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire, to work within a larger team to effectively treat a wide range of chronic medical conditions, behavioral health disorders, sub-clinical problems, and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors that commonly present in primary care patients. 

The Clinical Health Psychology Series is designed to provide a comprehensive but concise overview of practice in specific areas including: integrated primary care, women’s reproductive health, cardiology, oncology, and pain. Each book in the series is designed to provide broad coverage of the topic and is intended specifically for mental and behavioral health providers who are new to that field.