Mental Health Consultants
Statistics show that nearly half of all people with treatable mental health symptoms do not seek care from a mental health professional. However, 80 percent will visit their primary care manager at least once a year. Emotional and mental factors can also have a significant impact on many health conditions.
The good news is these problems often can be prevented or addressed earlier in primary care through the support of a mental health consultant working as part of the PCMH. MHCs are specially trained psychologists or social workers who focus on helping patients develop healthy behaviors or change current behaviors that interfere with overall health and well-being.
Note: Virtual visits can be utilized after initial appointment which must be in-person.
Our Services
All patients enrolled in TRICARE are eligible for services. MHCs will help with problems of varying severity, and with preventive, acute and chronic care to assist in reducing symptoms, to include:
- Depression and anxiety
- Stress management
- Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors
- Relationship problems
- Chronic health conditions
- Creating healthy exercise routines
- Poor adherence to medical recommendations
- Chronic pain
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- Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Fibromyalgia
- Sleep problems
- Fatigue
- Hypertension/heart disease
- Diabetes
- Alcohol/substance problems
- And more
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How it Works
We DO NOT require a referral! Consultations with an MHC are usually brief (20-25 minutes per appointment) and specifically targeted to your concerns. During the consultation, your MHC will ask you a series of questions to better understand your concern and how they are impacting your health, quality of life, and functioning. The MHC will work with you to identify goals and come up with a plan to reach those goals. This plan may include providing you with information, teaching you skills, or developing a behavior change plan you can implement on your own after your visit in order to reduce some symptoms or refer to other services as needed. MHCs do not prescribe medications or provide long-term psychotherapy but can provide referrals.
The MHC will follow up with your PCM to provide feedback and ensure all team members are aware of and can support any behavior change goals that you may have. Another option for continuing care in some PCMHs is working with a mental health care facilitator. A MHCF will contact you by phone periodically to monitor your symptoms and check on how you are managing your health concerns. The care facilitator will then share your progress with your primary care team.
In many cases, care facilitators and mental health consultants will work together with your PCM to make quick, effective changes to your treatment and address your symptoms.
What we are not
We are not therapy.
We are not symptom extinction such as the goal of psychotherapy.
We are not medication providers.
We are not acute crisis or stepdown care.
We are not exempt from documentation.
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