Bill Overview
Title: Improving Access to Behavioral Health Integration Act
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and expands a program that supports mental and behavioral health education and training for health care providers. Specifically, the bill expands the program by establishing grants for primary care practices to hire behavioral health providers or otherwise facilitate the adoption of models to integrate behavioral health and primary care. The Department of Health and Human Services must develop reporting requirements and metrics to measure the uptake of such models by primary care practices.
Sponsors: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals with mental and behavioral health needs
Estimated Size: 60000000
- The integration of behavioral health into primary care aims to improve mental health services and accessibility for the general population.
- Approximately 970 million people worldwide have a mental health or substance use disorder, according to WHO estimates.
- The bill targets the integration of behavioral health services into primary care, making it likely to impact the entire primary care-seeking population.
- While not all individuals with mental health conditions will be directly impacted, the integration aims at long-term improvement in mental health service delivery.
Reasoning
- The policy focuses on improving mental and behavioral health integration into primary care, which is expected to benefit individuals who have primary care access and mental health needs. Given the limited budget compared to the population size, many may not see immediate benefits.
- The policy may have a more pronounced impact on individuals in underserved or rural areas where mental health services are currently limited.
- Individuals who frequently use primary care services are more likely to be impacted, as integrated services could significantly improve their overall healthcare experience.
Simulated Interviews
Primary Care Physician (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integrating behavioral health into primary care is essential for holistic patient care.
- My clinic struggles with addressing mental health due to resource constraints.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Software Engineer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accessibility to mental health services has been challenging.
- I often delay seeking help because it's hard to find the right provider.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Nursing Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Education on integrated care is crucial for future health providers.
- I am hopeful that this policy will create more job opportunities in primary care settings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Mental Health Advocate (Boston, MA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The bill is a great step, but sustained funding and commitment are necessary.
- Structural changes in healthcare delivery are complex and require time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Stay-at-home Parent (Houston, TX)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integrated care could help coordinate treatment for my child.
- Accessing multiple specialists for my child is currently a burden.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired (Boise, ID)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy brings more mental health professionals to rural areas.
- Traveling far for mental health services is not always feasible.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Education Consultant (Seattle, WA)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased mental health integration in healthcare can indirectly benefit education systems.
- Schools and healthcare systems need to work together for comprehensive support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Gig Worker (Miami, FL)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved access to mental health services is essential for people with irregular work schedules.
- Integrated care could streamline the process of getting both physical and mental health support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Social Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Families severely lack integrated mental health care in community health settings.
- The policy could enable better resource allocation and service delivery to underserved populations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Freelance Artist (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 56 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better integration could mean more coordinated care and reduced stigma.
- Many creative professionals neglect mental health due to lack of integrated services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 2: $1400000000 (Low: $1100000000, High: $1700000000)
Year 3: $1300000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $1600000000)
Year 5: $1200000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1500000000)
Year 10: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1300000000)
Year 100: $900000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $1100000000)
Key Considerations
- The long-term sustainability of the grant program depends on achieving measurable integration outcomes and potential policy changes.
- Successful integration requires cooperation across healthcare systems and effective training programs for existing staff.
- Monitoring and evaluation measures will be critical in assessing program impact and scalability.