title: Linking mental health and addiction services: a continuity-of-care team model.
abstract: Reorganization of mental health care delivery services at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center addressed problems with the coordination of addiction treatment and mental health programming for patients with significant psychiatric and addiction comorbidity. Clinical services were organized into interdisciplinary continuity-of-care teams that follow patients across different levels of care. The teams provide addiction treatment through "universally available" resources such as a partial hospital addiction rehabilitation module. Continuity of care remains within the team structure as clinicians follow patients throughout their rehabilitation course. Patient and staff satisfaction focus on improved accessibility of addiction services and continuity of care providers across time and levels of care. Overall inpatient utilization and recidivism decreased after model implementation.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service 116A, VANTHCS, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, USA. Michael.Lambert2@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D006754:Hospital Restructuring; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs