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AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Mental Health Awareness Month Resources

Date

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Academy is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) during the month of May. The Academy website includes a variety of resources and information on integrating behavioral health and primary care, also referred to as integrated behavioral health (more extensively defined in the Academy Lexicon). The availability and distribution of mental health resources is of upmost importance to the Academy and many other organizations currently celebrating MAHM. See below for several excellent resources to get started:

The Federal Government recently issued several press releases with the intention of improving behavioral health in the United States, including actions and initiatives to prevent suicide, support opioid treatment and recovery services in rural communities, tackle the youth mental health crisis, and fund health centers to support transitions in care for people leaving incarceration, all in the last two months. These are just a few items that have followed the May 2023 White House announcement on new actions to tackle the nation’s mental health crisis, and the December 2022 release of the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration, aiming to move the current U.S. system of care towards an integrated and equitable model.

AHRQ created the Academy to respond to the recognized need for a national resource and coordinating center for those interested in behavioral health and primary care integration. The Federal push for nationwide mental health improvements is directly tied to the Academy’s mission to support integration with a key focus on providing care for patients using substances, particularly opioids, and for those with mental health conditions. See below for several Academy resources that not only include great information on mental health to consider sharing during MHAM, but also the wider integration of behavioral health into primary care:

  • Topic Briefs – Practical guidance for addressing emerging issues, such as health equity, low-threshold treatment for opioid use disorder, and behavioral health apps in primary and ambulatory care settings.
  • Substance Use Tools & Resources Collection – A collection of items for addressing substance use (especially opioids) in primary care, on topics such as co-occurring behavioral health disorders, social determinants of health, and adolescents.
  • Unhealthy Alcohol Tools & Resources Collection – A collection of items for managing unhealthy alcohol use in primary care, on topics such as alcohol use disorder, psychosocial supports, and patient engagement.
  • Literature Collection – A database containing over 9,000 references for published and grey literature on integrated behavioral health on topics such as healthcare disparities, opioids & substance use, and healthcare policy.
  • Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care Playbook – An interactive guide to help primary care providers (and other ambulatory care settings) improve healthcare delivery to achieve better patient health outcomes by integrating behavioral health services.
  • Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Playbook – An interactive guide to help providers in rural primary care (and other ambulatory care settings) implement medication-assisted treatment.
  • Event Calendar – A calendar of upcoming events related to integrated behavioral health, including federal webinars and major conferences.
  • News Stories – A list of news items written by the Academy on integrated behavioral health, on topics such as policy updates, new research findings or resources, and federal announcements.