title: Promoting Mental Health Equity: The Role of Integrated Care.
abstract: People suffering from mental illness experience poor physical health outcomes, including an average life expectancy of 25 years less than the rest of the population. Stigma is a frequent barrier to accessing behavioral health services. Health equity refers to the opportunity for all people to experience optimal health; the social determinants of health can enable or impede health equity. Recommendations from the U.S. government and the World Health Organization support mental health promotion while recognizing barriers that preclude health equity. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended screening all adults for depression. The Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine (SHLI/MSM) is committed to developing leaders who will help to reduce health disparities as the nation moves toward health equity. The SHLI/MSM Integrated Care Leadership Program (ICLP) provides clinical and administrative healthcare professionals with knowledge and training to develop culturally-sensitive integrated care practices. Integrating behavioral health and primary care improves quality of life and lowers health system costs.
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Satcher
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA. srachel@msm.edu.
authors.forename: Sharon A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7731-3035
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rachel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065246:Culturally Competent Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D000069576:Health Equity / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States
keywords: Behavioral health; Health equity; Integrated Care Leadership Program; Integrated care; Primary care