Improving Patient Outcomes: The Impact of Integrated Behavioral Health

This article first appeared in the 2023 It Takes A Valley Impact Report >

When patients make routine doctor visits for physical concerns, they might also be experiencing underlying behavioral health issues. Since 2022, Colorado Mountain Medical (CMM) has been bridging this gap by offering a range of services within the same visit. CMM’s Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) program integrates behavioral health specialists directly into regular medical practices, providing anything from 15-minute screenings and psychoeducation sessions to more extensive stabilization support lasting up to four hours.

Thriving on Collaboration

Primary referrals for the program come from urgent care, primary care, pediatrics, and OBGYN teams. Specialty services can also request immediate assistance via “warm handoffs” to the IBH team. Working closely with the Wiegers Mental Health Clinic‘s outpatient services, the IBH team identified over 60 patients in 2024 who, upon initial assessment, were at high risk for hospitalization due to suicidal ideation or hopelessness. Since the program began, over 80 patients would have met or come close to meeting the criteria for an inpatient psychiatric hold. Through collaborative efforts, these patients avoided inpatient stays, allowing them to remain within the community and start or continue essential behavioral health care. This improved patient outcomes and saved an estimated $2.1 million in potential hospitalization costs.

“This program is another way we are normalizing behavioral health in Eagle County, making it just as important as physical health. It also allows providers to act immediately when someone comes in for a routine checkup and shows signs of behavioral health needs,” says Kala Bettis, Supervisor of Integrated Behavioral Health at Vail Health Behavioral Health.

Since launching the program, IBH has had over 3,500 patient visits, been provided 500 hours of crisis counseling, created over 240 personalized safety plans, and delivered 263 hours of outpatient therapy for high-need patients. This ensures their safety and helps set up long-term treatment with outpatient providers.

IBH is a comprehensive approach to patient well-being that keeps patients safe, empowered, and connected to the care they need.