Improving Behavioral Health Care For Older Americans: If Not Now, When?

A recently published article in Health Affairs highlights the behavioral health disparities that older adults contend with.  Behavioral health needs of older adults are often not identified or addressed, despite almost 20% meeting the criteria for a mental health diagnosis. The authors argue that we need more creative evidence-based solutions to effectively address key challenges such as the inadequate number of Geriatric professionals in Behavioral Health, barriers to access, fragmented and inconsistent quality of care, and medical comorbidities that complicates healthcare delivery.  They suggest that innovative strategies focused on integrating services through community-based care delivery models, leveraging telemedicine,  rethinking payment models, and implementing creative evidence-based workforce solutions can overcome these systemic barriers. 

Read the full article HERE