Recognizing primary care in behavioral health workforce assessments.

Abstract

In the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC's) Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand (IHS Markit Ltd., 2021), the authors acknowledged that primary care providers (PCPs) are essential in screening patients for mental health conditions; however, they did not explicitly acknowledge the PCPs play in management of these conditions. In fact, they mentioned that psychiatry is the only specialty "focused on addressing mental health needs." This statement fails to acknowledge the significant role of PCPs in addressing mental health needs in the context of providing whole person health. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) position statement extensively outlines this role and describes the use of a Collaborative Care Model, which centers around PCPs as the point provider for mental health management. The Collaborative Care Model was developed with the goal to increase the volume and effectiveness of mental health treatment in the primary care setting, recognizing the crucial role PCPs play in mental health care delivery. Provider associations representing primary care, mental health and psychiatry, and education must partner to rectify these identified problems and revise the understanding of primary care in mental health management and future workforce policy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).