MDNews - Central Pennsylvania

THE NEED FOR BEHAVIOR AL HE ALTH SERVICES CURRENTLY E XCEEDS AVAIL ABILIT Y ON BOTH A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LE VEL. THROUGH INTEGR ATION AND EDUCATION, THE RECENT AFFILIATION BE T WEEN WELLSPAN HE ALTH AND PHILHAVEN WILL IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE IN CENTR AL PENNSYLVANIA. THE PROV I SION S OF the A†ordable Care Act have facilitated the integration of mental and behavioral health services into the primary care setting. This para- digm shift presented an opportunity for Philhaven to partner with WellSpan. " We realized that behavioral health will become a more centralized part of the physica l hea lthcare system mov- ing for wa rd," says Phi l Hess, MH A , Vice President of Behaviora l Hea lth at WellSpan Hea lth and President of Philhaven. "The partnership between WellSpan and Philhaven will allow us to provide a holistic approach to care that is spurred by population health." Phil Hess, MHA, Vice President of Behavioral Health at WellSpan Health and President of Philhaven The a‰liation went into e†ect Jan. 1 and unites Philhaven's capabilities with the behavioral health services already in place at WellSpan. BRINGING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TO THE COMMUNITY Philhaven is one of the largest mental and behavioral health providers in the countr y a nd ha s mu ltiple locations throughout the region. With the addition of Philhaven, WellSpan Health delivers care at six hospitals and more than 140¯patient care locations in the four-county region. Together, the facilities a re uniquely positioned to expand access to care and redefine how patients receive menta l health services. Currently, behavioral health providers practice at 10 WellSpan primary care locations. One of the goals of Philhaven is to enhance access to mental health in the family practice setting by staffing behavioral health providers at primary care locations in the WellSpan Health system. That will allow patients to receive psychiatric assessments for depression and anxiety, as well as any necessary treat- ments, during routine primary care visits. Joins WellSpan to Expand and Enhance Behavioral Health Care across Central Pennsylvania BY TIFFANY PARNELL Philhaven 1 4

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