Creating the Financial Future of Integration in Primary Care: State and National Innovations

Abstract

The primary care system is a fertile ground for professionals to be trained to promote positive health behaviors. However, most primary care systems that integrate physical and behavioral health struggle with financial start-up and sustainability. The growth and development of mechanisms for supporting grass roots integration highlight the creativity and sheer will of communities, states, and healthcare systems to innovate their way to health. And now, for the first time, national-level funding initiatives have begun to support integration. This article highlights funding mechanisms at the state, foundation, payor, and federal levels that have been used to champion innovation. It provides a historical and future-oriented primer of the various mechanisms for initiating and advancing integration in primary care settings.