Mental Health Month was started in 1949 by the national organization Mental Health America to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone. The 2019 Mental Health Month campaign, #4Mind4Body, will focus on animal companionship, spirituality, work-life balance, humor, recreation, and social connections. Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable. As a provider, you know that social relationships, physical activity, and finding purpose in one’s life can positively impact mental well-being. Encouraging patients to pay attention to physical as well as mental health can help someone to achieve overall wellness. A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions, as well as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health problems. It can also help people recover from these conditions.

To learn more about Mental Health Month please visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may. In the spirit of encouraging mental well-being, BCBSRI encourages our primary care provider community to regularly screen for depression and substance use disorders.

Why screen for depression in primary care?

• The USPS Task Force has issued guidelines for universal depression screenings and stated that 100% of patients should be screened annually for depression.
• Depression is one of the most common chronic conditions across the population. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that 16 million American adults had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
• Screening all patients for depression in primary care can be very useful. Most providers are able to easily identify their patients with severe depression. However, those with mild or moderate depression often go undetected. If mild or moderate depression is identified and discussed during a primary care appointment, it can be a relief to the patient to be able to discuss their feelings openly with the primary care provider and be given treatment options. It can also help the patient create an action plan that may help them avoid more severe depression, and the need for more intensive medical care, in the future.

Why screen for substance use disorders in primary care?

BCBSRI encourages all primary care providers to universally screen for substance use disorders using the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model. SBIRT is an evidence-based practice used to identify, reduce, and prevent problematic use, abuse, and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs. SBIRT consists of three major components:

• Screening – A healthcare professional assesses a patient for risky substance use behaviors using standardized screening tools.
• Brief intervention – A healthcare professional engages a patient showing risky substance use behaviors in a short conversation, providing feedback and advice.
• Referral to treatment – A healthcare professional provides a referral to brief therapy or additional treatment to patients who screen in need of additional services.

Screening for substance use disorders using the SBIRT model is a reimbursable service. Please refer to BCBSRI’s preventive services policies for Commercial and Medicare members. Details can be found here:

Commercial

Medicare

How do I connect a patient to Behavioral Health services?

The behavioral health system can be confusing and overwhelming for your patients to navigate. As BCBSRI continues to expand our continuum of services for behavioral health, we realize that providers may have questions regarding the types of services available for their patients. There are several ways to learn more about behavioral health benefits and services:

• The Provider Call Center [(401) 274-4848 or 1-800-230-9050] can answer questions regarding a member’s benefits, including member liability for services. They can also assist if you’re simply looking for a participating behavioral health provider. You can contact the Provider Call Center at (401) 274-4848. You can also search our website, bcbsri.com if you are simply looking for a behavioral health provider.
• The Beacon Health Options (Beacon) Clinical Referral Line is available 24/7 and is answered by clinical behavioral health staff. The clinical referral line can help you find a behavioral health provider and provide support and guidance. The clinical referral line should not be used if there is concern of imminent danger, but can be a first point of contact in non-emergency situations. The clinician— who may be a registered nurse, independently licensed social worker, or a mental health counselor—will ask questions to get a better understanding of your patient’s needs. The clinician will provide you with information about available services and will offer the names and contact information for providers who offer those services. You can contact the Clinical Referral Line at 1-800-274-2958. You may also share this number with your patients if they prefer to contact Beacon themselves.
• The Beacon Health Options Intensive Case Management Program can help your patients effectively manage their behavioral health conditions. Independently licensed behavioral health clinicians will work with your patient to:
  • Help them understand barriers that prevent them from getting the most from their treatment or in obtaining recommended treatment.
  • Provide education and support to help them better understand their condition.
  • Help them find and obtain services or resources needed to better manage their behavioral health condition.
  • Coordinate care with providers to ensure you and your patient have the necessary information to provide them with the best care and support.
  • Work with them to ensure they know the medications they should be taking and understand the instructions you’ve provided to them.

To refer a patient to the Beacon Health Options Case Management Program, please call 1-800-274-2958, option 2.

PediPRN

Another resource available to our pediatric primary care providers is the Pediatric Psychiatry Resource Network (PediPRN). PediPRN is an innovative model of telephonic consultation and collaboration between pediatric primary care and child psychiatry providers. PediPRN uses a telephonic integrated care model to improve access to quality behavioral health expertise. The service is free and provides all Rhode Island pediatric primary care providers assistance with the mental healthcare needs of their patients. Pediatric primary care providers can call PediPRN with a diagnostic or therapeutic question. PediPRN psychiatrists will return the call within 30 minutes. The team will assist in developing a care plan for children with various psychiatric diagnoses and complex clinical presentations. The care plan could include recommendations for psychopharmacology, therapeutic treatment and supportive services in the community. The team will also sponsor educational opportunities via e-blasts and CME programs on pediatric psychiatry topics pertinent for the pediatric primary care community. PediPRN services are available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on holidays. PediPRN is offered at three Lifespan affiliates: Bradley Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, and Newport Hospital.

Any child or adolescent in Rhode Island is eligible for this free service, however PCPs must be registered for PediPRN before using it. PediPRN is designed to improve access to high quality pediatric behavioral health services. PediPRN services are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit www.lifespan.org/centers-services/pediatric-psychiatry-resource-network-pediprn or contact PediPRN directly at (401) 432-1543 (1KID) or PediPRN@lifespan.org.

Achieve Solutions

Achieve Solutions is a behavioral health and wellness website offered through BCBSRI’s behavioral health partner, Beacon Health Options. It helps individuals and families make informed decisions for their health and well-being and connects them to supportive services.

With more than 5,000 topical articles, educational resources, assistance materials, and self-assessment tools, Achieve Solutions helps our members better cope with and manage their health concerns as well as everyday life challenges.

Providers can access content through Achieve Solutions at www.achievesolutions.net/achievesolutions/en/bcbsri/Home.do.

Behavioral health solutions at BCBSRI

In addition to offering traditional levels of behavioral healthcare, such as inpatient, outpatient, and professional services, BCBSRI, in collaboration with community-based partners, has created a suite of behavioral health solutions for our complex members. The chart below provides an overview of some of our innovative offerings, the populations these programs serve, and which BCBSRI members can access these services.