Behavioral Health Data Exchange/ Primary Care and Behavioral Health Integration
Behavioral Health Data Exchange
The Behavioral Health Data Exchange Consortium was created in August, 2011 amongst five states – AL, FL, KY, MI, and NM – to pilot the secure interstate exchange of behavioral health records among treating health care providers using Direct protocols. The project involved the creation of draft policies and procedures for exchange of behavioral health treatment records, and providers in Florida and Alabama conducted pilots to demonstrate, using realistic test data, that securely exchanging behavioral health data using directed exchange is possible. ONC released a report [PDF - 3.8 MB] outlining the consortium’s work and findings.
Providers from Nebraska and Iowa joined the consortium after its initial formation, which is outlined in an addendum report [PDF - 218 KB].
The Behavioral Health Data Exchange Consortium is an activity of the State Health Policy ConsortiumWeb Site Disclaimers, and ONC worked alongside SAMHSA.
Primary Care and Behavioral Health Integration
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) convened behavioral health stakeholders for a roundtable focused on using health IT to integrate behavioral health and primary care. The Behavioral Health Roundtable Report [PDF - 387 KB] highlights the discussion of essential elements of care integration between behavioral health and primary care settings.
The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions funded a cooperative agreement that selected State Designated Entities (SDEs) for the development of infrastructure supporting the exchange of health information among behavioral health and primary and physical health providers. The participating States are: KY, IL, ME, OK, and RI. Prior to this effort, no State Health Information Exchange (HIE) in the nation was sharing behavioral health information through the HIE. The Center for Integrated Health Solutions HIT Supplement Final Report provides more detailed information on these cooperative agreements.