How to Use This Chapter
Screening and assessment are foundational components in the early identification and effective treatment of mental health and substance use disorders, enabling healthcare providers to respond proactively to patient needs. This chapter provides a practical approach to screening and assessment, with a focus on integrated care settings where early detection can significantly improve health outcomes. Many of the strategies used in integrated care are easily transferable to other settings that track population health.
While there is no universally recognized definition of integrated care, the term will be used in this chapter to describe healthcare services that involve systematic collaboration between medical and behavioral health professionals to provide coordinated care for all the components that make humans healthy (i.e., biological, psychological, and social factors). Primary care clinics are often the first point of contact for patients with behavioral health concerns and can offer a vital environment for integrated care models. That said, care integration happens across a wide range of settings, including specialty clinics, emergency departments, hospitals, community health centers, and other social service agencies.
Specific Resources for LO-1
Resource: Principles of valid screening tools
Resource: Examples of screening instruments
Specific Resources for LO-2
Resource: Screening and health literacy