Social Work and Integrated Health Care : From Policy to Practice and Back

This book provides a comprehensive view of the critical issues for social workers regarding the integration of primary care and behavioral health care. It discusses integrated health care settings, interprofessional practice, new roles for social workers, and describes key evidence-based practices such as screening, person-centered care planning, motivational interviewing and wellness self-management.

With nearly 40% of social workers working in the health and behavioral health care sectors, Social Work and Integrated Health Care is designed to help social workers understand the policies that shape the current discussion regarding integrated primary care and behavioral health care and their application to practice. While the future of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) is uncertain at this time, the potential for integrated health care to simultaneously improve health outcomes while reducing costs means that despite the constantly changing health policy landscape, the movement towards an integrated health care system will continue in the future. As these changes occur, there is a great need in the social work field for resources that will give both the context for these changes and translate the policies to day-to-day social work practice. This book provides essential information about the important shifts in the health care field with a focus on health care for vulnerable populations, with a special emphasis on adults with severe mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. As the title indicates, the book provides a comprehensive discussion not only of critical policy issues, but also their specific implications to evidence-based clinical practice. It covers such areas as background on public funding for health care, the development of behavioral health services in the community, and the passage of mental health parity legislation. The text also includes an overview of integrated health care settings and describes evidence practices that are central to integrated health care such as screening, person-centered care planning, motivational interviewing, and wellness self-management. It is a must-have text for all social work students in MSW programs.