What is Behavioral Health?
People are complex beings. This is no truer than when it comes to mental health. With so many puzzle pieces that make up an individual, people are having trouble identifying when they are struggling with mental health issues or behavioral health problems. Hearts 4 Minds is delving into what exactly behavioral health is, and how the two differentiate.
Behavioral Health vs Mental Health
Behavioral health and mental health are similar and can cause the same impact, but the two are not synonymous with each other. Mental health deals with one’s psychological state and how feelings and thoughts can impact our lives. Behavioral health, on the other hand, focuses more on the decisions and actions a person takes and how they affect their health (both physical and mental). Also known as behavioral disorders, behavioral health includes eating disorders, drug addiction, and alcoholism. As these problems can produce mental health problems, we like to view behavioral health as an umbrella, with mental health resting underneath.
Integrated Behavioral Health
Sometimes to help mental health, you must improve your overall health. That’s where integrated behavioral health care comes in. Also known as integrated care or collaborative care, integrated behavioral health care focuses on the care of the whole person. Working together with the patients and their families, behavioral health and medical clinicians identify and address health issues. This one-stop shop allows patients to feel more comfortable asking for help and have easier access to necessary care.
Hearts 4 Minds and Connected Care
Connected and collaborative care improves health outcomes. Hearts 4 Minds is working outside of traditional mental health models to wrap a patient and their support structure into a system of care through the Dragonfly Care Coordinator. Not only does the coordinator integrate the family support system, they work with the community at large to ensure the whole person is treated. By promoting a connected care system such as integrated behavioral health, we can save lives.
When struggling with mental illness, behavioral health and integrated behavioral health care should be taken into account. If you need help and access to integrated care, please take a look at the Hearts 4 Minds resources page. There you will find both national and Northeast Florida organizations that can help.
