The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

5198.0: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 2:45 PM

Abstract #45454

Integrating primary and mental health care for people with chronic mental illness: An academic nursing/community partnership model

Lucy Marion, PhD, RN, FAAN, Public Health, Mental Health, and Administrative Nursing, University of Illinois College of Nursing, 845 S Damen, M/C 802, Chicago, IL 60612, 312 996 9354, lmarion@uic.edu and Susan Braun, MS, RN, APRN, BC, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S Damen, M/C 802, Chicago, IL 60612.

Integrated primary and mental health care for people with severe and persistent mental illness is rare. This presentation describes the evolution of an academic nursing center for delivering primary care to "members" of a large, multi site psychosocial rehabilitation agency using a clubhouse model. Advanced practice nurses manage the Integrated Health Care Center (IHC) and provide the integrated care in collaboration with family, psychiatric, and referral physicians and other professionals. The level of client complexity is high due to adverse effects of psychotropic medications and co morbidity such as diabetes, substance abuse, and smoking. Clinician/teachers and students provide outreach services to members in group homes, day programs, and drug treatment facilities. The partnership has been mutually beneficial to both partners from the earliest pilot phase. Nursing students from all levels and specialty types learn in this innovative health care environment. The members of the agency clubhouse have participated in the design, maintenance, and evaluation of the sites. Outcomes from 2 years of service, including Center utilization, health outcomes, cost, satisfaction, and quality process indicators, will be reported. Major challenges and opportunities have emerged during the synthesis of primary care and mental health care paradigms, and new collaborative strategies have resulted in overcoming barriers to innovation. Sustainability, the major issue at IHC, requires revenue generation from Medicare/Medicaid, grant writing, and donations. The vision is to expand to center goal to incorporate NIH level research on improving health care in this population.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Community-Based Health Care, Mental Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Expanding Primary Care

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA