Health Federation of Philadelphia: Better Client Outcomes Through Integrating Behavioral Health Care into Primary Care

Abstract

Summary

Behavioral health care is severely needed within the fabric of our healthcare system, but is rarely affordable or accessible. Up to 70 percent of patients have a behavioral health issue that is co-occurring with or complicating their physical health. However, most patients referred to mental health specialists by their primary care providers do not subsequently seek treatment. This could be a result of the social stigma against behavioral health, or it can be attributed to issues of time, geography, or money. Also, there is a shortage of behavioral health specialists within the specialty care system, so it is also an issue of capacity. These untreated behavioral health issues can lead to decreased quality of life for the patient and increased physical health problems.

In Philadelphia, the Health Federation of Philadelphia (HFP), led by Natalie Levkovich, has been working for the past several years to develop, refine, and disseminate a model of behavioral health care integrated within a primary care setting. HFP works with community health centers that serve the uninsured and the underinsured. In addition to comprehensive primary care, these health centers seek to provide behavioral health care that is accessible, is effective, and begins to address the vast need in low-income communities.

Natalie Levkovich has held the position of Executive Director of the Health Federation of Philadelphia since 1987 and served as Director of Program Development for the three year prior to that. As the leader of a nonprofit public health organization that serves as a consortium of community health centers, including those operated by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Ms. Levkovich has played a critical role in convening and connecting organizations in the public and private sectors and mobilizing resources to expand capacity and increase access to care. As a result, the Health Federation has grown to include 10 member organizations with 38 health center sites serving more than 260,000 individuals annually and has a budget that has grown from less than $200,000 to more than $12 million. Through leadership and creativity in program development, advocacy, training and coalition building, Ms. Levkovich has been responsible for a number of initiatives to change practice standards and increase efficiency of delivery models. HFP initiatives are based on best practices, business strategy, effective organizing, and sustained leadership focused on addressing community needs. The work of the Health Federation of Philadelphia, led by Ms. Levkovich, has been carried out through formal and informal collaborations with government agencies, funders, universities, medical providers, community-based organizations, and consumers.