Hi, I'm Dr. Betsy Davis, the local recovery coordinator at the South
Texas Veterans Health Care System for Mental Health Awareness Month.
In May, we're creating a series of videos focused on what to expect
when you're seeking mental health services here at the South Texas VA.
The goal is to demystify the process of seeking mental health services
and to make it a little bit easier for you to take that first step
if you're feeling stressed or feel like you could benefit from mental health care.
Right now, our first video is going to be a conversation between Dr.
Franks, who is a primary care provider, and Dr.
McClean, who is with the primary care Mental health integration team.
They're going to be talking a little bit about what to expect
when you ask your primary care provider for a mental health referral.
So let's hear that now.
Hi, I'm Dr.
Daniel Franks.
I'm the deputy chief of primary care here at the South Texas VA.
Hi, I'm Dr.
Veronica McLean, and I'm a section chief for primary care mental health
integration here at the South Texas VA.
Dr. Franks, can you tell us a little bit about what
it might look like when a veteran comes in to the primary care clinic
and endorses experiencing mental health symptoms?
Sure. In primary care, we work as a team.
It's called a PACT team, and that consists of a provider, two nurses,
a clerk and extended team members, which include our PCMHI staff.
PCMHI is primary care, mental health integration.
So we do have a primary, a mental health provider
in all our clinics, either in person or virtually all the members of our team
are eligible to refer somebody to their PCMHI provider.
So very frequently the first person they contact
may be a nurse or the clerk, and if they express
needs to see a mental health provider,
they can make that referral directly without going through the PCP.
Also, the
PCP can make that referral to the PCMHI after their appointment.
They are in our clinic, they are integrated, which is great.
So they can see people the same day when we need them to.
Primary care providers also can treat a great amount of mental health.
If we start medication for depression, for anxiety, we use medications for sleep.
Often we get beyond what we can handle, so we will refer them to our specialists
in PCMHI or in mental health.
Can you tell us we brought a PCMHI Can you tell us a little bit more
about what PCMHI is and how it fits into the primary care clinics?
Sure.
Once we receive that warm handoff from a member of the PACT team,
we invite the veteran to stay for a an intake appointment.
If they're in agreement, we can see them the same day.
As you mentioned,
for about 20 to 30 minutes we'll complete a functional assessment intake
and that really includes a full assessment of what they've been experiencing.
So some veterans might report that they've been having trouble sleeping
or that they are having trouble remembering to take their medication
to treat their diabetes.
In some cases, they might report trauma type of symptoms.
We'll discuss together what the best
treatment options are available for them.
And before they leave that day, they'll have a treatment plan
that could include seeing someone in PCMHI for individual care.
We offer a brief model of care, and that's 1 to 6
total sessions for about 30 minutes each time.
And we also offer classes.
If a veteran is more interested in being around other veterans
dealing with the same symptoms
following that, if they're in agreement, we will get them set up
that same day for their next follow up appointment and they'll walk
walk away from that appointment with a treatment plan.
Great.
Can you tell us what would happen if if a patient exceeds their number
of PCMHI visits or their mental health conditions seem too complex for PCMHI?
Sure if in that appointment it sounds like
their symptoms are a little bit more chronic and have
they're not new will
discuss various options that we have at South Texas
for specialty in general mental health.
That could be our BHIP clinic, that could be in our PTSD clinical team,
that could be in our bipolar clinical team.
We also often see veterans that come in
and they may report having more severe mental illness symptoms.
And we have programs for those services as well.
We'll discuss that together and create a new treatment plan.
And if they are in agreement,
with their permission, we would submit a referral on their behalf.
Great.
Thank you.
And for the veterans out there, we'd like you to remember that access
to your mental health providers, your team comes through primary care.
So if you have any concerns or questions,
contact any member of your primary care team
and they can make a referral or a hand off to the same team in primary care.
Thank you.