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14 Community Health Center, Inc. ney indicates that about 1 in 5 patients respond, "Yes, I could use some help." Among the many collaborations across disciplines are recently developed screening tools at CHC for adults and children, which showed that nearly 20 percent of individuals seeking primary care may also have a behavioral health concern. Once screened, those services can be offered. e physical proximity of primary-care providers, behavioral health clinicians and allied professionals also effectively en- hances care. Everyone works closely together, sharing the same electronic health record, working under the same roof — which encourages a routine ex- change of ideas and information that aids patients. "ere is complete transparency … We are literally sitting elbow to elbow," in CHC's emblematic team-based co- ordinated-care pod system, Kearney explains. e approach is also "intel- lectually stimulating" for CHC provid- ers, regardless of their area of specialty. Treating the whole patient, rather than focusing on one's own silo of expertise, is what staff members thrive on, he said. CHC Behavioral Health also offers specialized programs to help patients deal with trauma, an area drawing increasing attention. Partnerships with the state Depart- ment of Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services have enabled community-based care for families at risk of abuse and neglect, as well as mentally ill homeless people. A new trauma screen is under evaluation to bet- ter identify individuals accessing CHC services who could benefit from trauma-specific assistance. CHC also works attentively to train the next generation of cli- nicians how to provide behavioral healthcare in a primary-care setting. Initiatives include a Postdoctoral Psychology Residency Program and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program, providing comprehensive training in delivering evi- denced-based care in psychiatry to uninsured and underserved populations. It's a model that Senior Vice President and Clinical Director Margaret Flinter, APRN, PhD, a driving force behind the pro- grams, describes as "an intense year of training." CHC's behavioral healthcare extends to schools. Alissa Tatro, a clinical social worker providing counseling at an elementary and middle school in the School-Based Health Center (SBHC) pro- gram, told state legislators earlier this year that she has witnessed positive growth among students. "One student lost his father un- expectedly last year and utilized the SBHC to process this traumatic expe- rience and grieve his loss while main- taining a positive connection to the school. Another student I was treating for anxiety oen experienced head- aches and stomachaches, resulting in increased absences … e client's mother felt overwhelmed, explaining she was on the brink of losing her job due to frequently calling out to take care of her daughter … and she wor- ried that if she lost her job she would not be able to afford her rent." Mental health clinicians and medical care providers in the school clinics collaborated to alleviate obstacles and promote wellness. e young student has "dramatically improved … in all facets of her life," Tatro reported. "In order for children to reach their full potential in education, their healthcare needs must first be addressed." "So many families have had behavioral health needs that were never identified," Kearney says. Determining who can benefit from behavioral health can be the first step towards responding to, or preventing, adverse health impacts. Bottom line: "We know how to help you." n » continued from page 13 "We provide better care because it is integrated care." R. Timothy Kearney, PhD, Chief Behavioral Health Officer