title: Moving toward integrated health: an opportunity for social work.
abstract: With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and ongoing health care reform efforts, this is a critical time for the social work profession. The approaches and values embedded in health care reform are congruent with social work. One strategy is to improve care for people with co-morbid and chronic illnesses by integrating primary care and behavioral health services. This paper defines integrated health and how the PPACA promotes integrated health care through system redesign and payment reform. We consider how social workers can prepare for health care reform and discuss the implications of these changes for the future of the profession.
authors.affiliation: a Silver School of Social Work, New York University , New York , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stanhope
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Videka
authors.forename: Helle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thorning
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKay
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D054521:Cultural Competency; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000592:standards; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D012947:Social Work / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States
keywords: behavioral health; health care reform; integrated health care; mental health services; primary care; workforce training