This installation of the SAPC-UCLA Lecture series will identify and explore the current state, presenting opportunities and future directions of efforts to more effectively integrate the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) into the physical health and mental health systems of care. While the SUD, mental health and physical health systems have historically operated separately, the presentation will explore the expected service delivery benefits and positive health outcomes that are possible through intentionally designing systems that more effectively address the holistic health needs of patients. In addition to an exploration of the policy and system opportunities, we will also have a featured presenter who will identify what is needed clinically, current system opportunities, and what integration of SUD, mental health and physical health services can look like in practice. Lastly, we will learn real world approaches for effective integrated SUD service delivery from a panel of health care leaders representing the physical health, mental health and SUD service delivery systems on what they are doing to more effectively deliver services to historically underserved populations. These leaders will discuss their efforts to better integrate the healthcare workforce to collaboratively detect and treat SUDs while also establishing better pathways for effective information sharing and care linkage among these systems of care. A panel discussion will follow this presentation, featuring representatives from the Department of Public Health, Department of Health Services, Department of Mental Health and a specialty provider. These representatives will highlight what is needed clinically, current system opportunities, and what integration of SUD can look like in practice. The representatives will discuss issues relating to increasing workforce needs and abilities to collaboratively detect and treat SUDs while also establishing pathways for effective information sharing and effective linkage among health systems.
Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1) Identify three (3) strategies to effectively integrate Substance Use Disorder(s) into physical health and mental health care.
2) Discuss at least two (2) methods of improving healthcare providers ability to treat SUDs.
3) Discuss the expected service delivery benefits and positive health outcomes of better integrating of physical health, mental health, and substance use care.
4) Describe current pathways and future opportunities for information exchange among multiple health systems of care.
5) Explore the cultural and linguistic barriers of access, assessment and treatment of Substance Use Disorder(s) within the physical and mental health systems of care.