Psyc h iatry Behavioral-Health Services Available at UCLA Health Community Offices To provide easier access to behavioral-health services, board-certified psychiatrists, licensed family therapists and licensed clinical social workers are available to see patients at various UCLA Health’s primary-care community offices. “We are embedding psychiatrists and therapists within primary-care practices to make it easier for our patients to get behavioral-health services, as well as to improve the coordination of care,” explains Mark S. Grossman, MD, MBA, medical director of UCLA Behavioral Health Associates, the faculty-practice group that provides the services in partnership with UCLA’s Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. Dr. Grossman estimates that 10-to-15 percent of primary-care patients have a need for behavioral-health services but aren’t receiving them for multiple reasons. One reason has to do with insurance — many patients find it difficult to find behavioral-health professionals covered under their plan or have been deterred by the prospect of navigating the insurance system to secure coverage. UCLA Behavioral Health Associates removes the stress by handling the insurance verification process. “We are embedding psychiatrists and therapists within primary-care practices to make it easier for our patients to get behavioral-health services, as well as to improve the coordination of care.” Providing patients with a therapist or psychiatrist who is part of their primary-care physician’s team may also help to remove the stigma that prevents many patients from seeking behavioral-health services. “If the patient’s primary-care doctor is the one doing the referral and has discussed the usefulness beforehand, the patient is more likely to be at ease seeing a therapist or psychiatrist,” Dr. Grossman says. “This also facilitates the process and keeps the primary-care doctor abreast of what the patient is doing. It’s a better-coordinated system and a more holistic approach to primary-care delivery — concerned with the person’s behavioral as well as physical needs.” UCLA Behavioral Health Associates provides short-term treatment — typically 10-to-20 therapy sessions or intensive short-term therapy with a psychiatrist. More complex psychiatric needs are referred to UCLA’s psychiatry department. Referrals to the Behavioral Health Associates must be obtained through a UCLA primary-care physician. For more information about UCLA Behavioral Health Associates, go to: uclahealth.org/bha  Vital Signs Spring 2014 Vol. 62 11 Psyc h iatry Behavioral-Health Services Available at UCLA Health Community Offices To provide easier access to behavioral-health services, board-certified psychiatrists, “We are embedding psychiatrists and therapists within primary-care licensed family therapists and licensed clinical social workers are available to see patients practices to make it easier for our patients to get behavioral-health at various UCLA Health’s primary-care services, as well as to improve the coordination of care.” community offices. “We are embedding psychiatrists and therapists within primary-care practices Providing patients with a therapist or to make it easier for our patients to get psychiatrist who is part of their primary-care behavioral-health services, as well as to physician’s team may also help to remove improve the coordination of care,” explains the stigma that prevents many patients from Mark S. Grossman, MD, MBA, medical seeking behavioral-health services. “If the director of UCLA Behavioral Health patient’s primary-care doctor is the one doing Associates, the faculty-practice group that the referral and has discussed the usefulness provides the services in partnership with beforehand, the patient is more likely to be UCLA’s Department of Psychiatry and at ease seeing a therapist or psychiatrist,” Biobehavioral Sciences. Dr. Grossman says. “This also facilitates Dr. Grossman estimates that 10-to-15 percent the process and keeps the primary-care of primary-care patients have a need for doctor abreast of what the patient is doing. behavioral-health services but aren’t receiving It’s a better-coordinated system and a more them for multiple reasons. One reason has to holistic approach to primary-care delivery — psychiatric needs are referred to UCLA’s do with insurance — many patients find it concerned with the person’s behavioral as psychiatry department. Referrals to the difficult to find behavioral-health professionals well as physical needs.” Behavioral Health Associates must be obtained covered under their plan or have been deterred through a UCLA primary-care physician. UCLA Behavioral Health Associates provides by the prospect of navigating the insurance short-term treatment — typically 10-to-20 For more information about UCLA system to secure coverage. UCLA Behavioral therapy sessions or intensive short-term Behavioral Health Associates, go to: Health Associates removes the stress by therapy with a psychiatrist. More complex uclahealth.org/bha  handling the insurance verification process. Vital Signs Spring 2014 Vol. 62 11 Psyc h iatry Behavioral-Health Services Available at UCLA Health Community Offices To provide easier access to behavioral-health services, board-certified psychiatrists, licensed family therapists and licensed clinical social workers are available to see patients at various UCLA Health’s primary-care community offices. “We are embedding psychiatrists and therapists within primary-care practices to make it easier for our patients to get behavioral-health services, as well as to improve the coordination of care,” explains Mark S. Grossman, MD, MBA, medical director of UCLA Behavioral Health Associates, the faculty-practice group that provides the services in partnership with UCLA’s Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. Dr. Grossman estimates that 10-to-15 percent of primary-care patients have a need for behavioral-health services but aren’t receiving them for multiple reasons. One reason has to do with insurance — many patients find it difficult to find behavioral-health professionals covered under their plan or have been deterred by the prospect of navigating the insurance system to secure coverage. UCLA Behavioral Health Associates removes the stress by handling the insurance verification process. “We are embedding psychiatrists and therapists within primary-care practices to make it easier for our patients to get behavioral-health services, as well as to improve the coordination of care.” Providing patients with a therapist or psychiatrist who is part of their primary-care physician’s team may also help to remove the stigma that prevents many patients from seeking behavioral-health services. “If the patient’s primary-care doctor is the one doing the referral and has discussed the usefulness beforehand, the patient is more likely to be at ease seeing a therapist or psychiatrist,” Dr. Grossman says. “This also facilitates the process and keeps the primary-care doctor abreast of what the patient is doing. It’s a better-coordinated system and a more holistic approach to primary-care delivery — concerned with the person’s behavioral as well as physical needs.” UCLA Behavioral Health Associates provides short-term treatment — typically 10-to-20 therapy sessions or intensive short-term therapy with a psychiatrist. More complex psychiatric needs are referred to UCLA’s psychiatry department. Referrals to the Behavioral Health Associates must be obtained through a UCLA primary-care physician. For more information about UCLA Behavioral Health Associates, go to: uclahealth.org/bha  Vital Signs Spring 2014 Vol. 62 11