Behavioral Health Collaborative Seeks FPs for Study

The goal of the study is to identify opportunities to improve the Collaborative’s existing resources and ensure they provide effective aid to primary care practices. Participation will allow practice representatives to provide feedback on these resources, an essential component of the Collaborative’s overall objective of making behavioral health care a standard, feasible practice in primary care.

All Academy members are invited to complete a brief screening survey to determine whether they qualify for the study. Participation is limited, and surveys must be completed no later than March 5. Qualifying practices will be notified by a partnering research firm.

Addressing behavioral and mental health is thought to be a priority for many family physicians and other clinicians, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A paper published in the CDC’s Aug. 14, 2020, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that more than 40% of adults who responded to a patient health survey reported experiencing one or more adverse mental or behavioral health conditions, with many of those conditions related directly to the pandemic.

Study Details

The first phase of the study will last through March 2021. During this initial phase, practice representatives will be asked to complete a number of tasks, including

• a 45-minute phone interview, which will be scheduled at the participant’s convenience and recorded, and
• a series of online activities designed to gather feedback on the collaborative’s resources.

Participants will have seven days to complete up to two-and-a-half hours of online assignments, and will receive an honorarium for their time.

Practices that qualify for the first study phase will also be eligible for subsequent study phases. Individual responses will be kept confidential and anonymous, and will be reported only in the aggregate.

For More Information

Questions about the study should be emailed to Andrea Houlihan.

General questions about the BHI Collaborative should be emailed to Chris Botts.  

The Academy has a wide range of behavioral and mental health resources for members. Beginning March 1, the AAFP will debut a CME series, “Addressing Behavioral Health Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Education Program,” designed to help FPs and their practice teams care for patients with depression, anxiety and ADHD.