title: The Readiness for Integrated Care Questionnaire (RICQ): An instrument to assess readiness to integrate behavioral health and primary care.
abstract: Integration of behavioral health and primary care services is a promising approach for reducing health disparities. The growing national emphasis on care coordination has mobilized efforts to integrate behavioral health and primary care services across the United States. These efforts align with broader health care system goals of improving health care quality, health equity, utilization efficiency, and patient outcomes. Drawing from our work on a multiyear integrated care initiative (Integrated Care Leadership Program; ICLP) and an implementation science heuristic for organizational readiness (Readiness = Motivation x General Capacity and Innovation-Specific Capacity; R = MC2), this article describes the development and implementation of a tool to assess organizational readiness for integrated care, referred to as the Readiness for Integrated Care Questionnaire (RICQ). The tool was piloted with 11 health care practices that serve vulnerable, underprivileged populations. Initial results from the RICQ revealed that participating practices were generally high in motivation, innovation-specific capacities, and general capacities at the start of ICLP. Additionally, analyses indicated that practices particularly needed support with increasing staff capacities (general knowledge and skills), improving access to and use of resources, and simplifying the steps in integrating care so the effort appears less daunting and difficult to health care team members. We discuss insights from the initial use of RICQ and practical implications of the new tool for driving integrated care efforts that can contribute to health equity. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Science, University of North Carolina Charlotte.
authors.forename: Victoria C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kenworthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Science, University of North Carolina Charlotte.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Godly-Reynolds
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicin.
authors.forename: Gilberte
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bastien
authors.affiliation: Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scaccia
authors.affiliation: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, Yale School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McMickens
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicin.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rachel
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicin.
authors.forename: Sayon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicin.
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wrenn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wandersman
mesh_terms: D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*