“In 2007, the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system started an initiative to integrate primary care with mental health services and developed PC-MHI programs nationwide. Along with integration of care, the goals were to improve access to mental health care, provide high-quality mental health care, enhance treatment adherence, promote an accepting atmosphere for patients, and reserve mental health specialty settings for treatment of more severe mental illness. In fact, to “develop a collaborative care model for mental health disorders that elevates mental health care to the same level of urgency/intervention as medical health care” is a goal embedded in the VA’s 2004 Mental Health Strategic Plan…”
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