Behavioral Health

Improve Behavioral Health Outcomes and Opioid Misuse

Rural Community Toolkit

The Rural Community Toolbox provides resources to address substance use disorder (SUD) and the opioid crisis.

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Self Care for Health Care Providers

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Behavioral Health

Nearly 20% of Americans, that’s 46.6 million adults, are affected by a behavioral health disorder annually, yet accessing behavioral health services can be a challenge. 

Behavioral health is an umbrella term for care that addresses any behavioral problems bearing on health, including mental health and substance abuse conditions, stress-linked physical symptoms, patient activation and health behaviors. Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being and includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being and is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.  

Positive behavioral and mental health allows people to work more productively, cope better with everyday stress, maintain a positive outlook, and engage in healthy eating, sleeping, and exercise habits.

National helpline: 1-800-662-HELP(4357) 

woman professional psychologist doctor giving the consult

Behavioral Health Helpful Websites: 

https://www.samhsa.gov/ – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation and to improve the lives of individuals living with mental and substance use disorders, and their families. 

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ – Features resources such as help for young people, older adults, resources for mental health experts, coping with COVID -19, behavioral health equity and parity: improving people’s lives. Also, provides hotlines for suicide prevention and the veterans crisis line. 

https://www.mhanational.org/issues/federal-and-state-role-mental-health – A community based non-profit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all. Including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated care, services, and support for those who need them; with recovery as the goal. 

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/NIMH is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders that provides mental health information, how to get involved, research, funding and news/events. 

https://www.hrsa.gov/behavioral-health – HRSA works across diverse programs — serving everyone from infants to the elderly — to assure that people in the U.S. have access to a broad range of essential personal and public health services. 

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/ – How to get mental health & substance abuse coverage. 

Project Goals

– Decrease opioid harm in both opioid-related adverse drug events and deaths

– Decrease high-dose opioid prescribing in long-term care, acute care, specialty hospitals and in outpatient facilities

– Increase implementation and access of pain and opioid use best-practices in communities

– Increase access to behavioral health services for Medicare beneficiaries who need mental health services but are not receiving them

For additional information or to request technical assistance, please email Tanya Vadala at tvadala@ipro.org.

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