Chapter 14 - Integration of mental health services into primary care settings

Summary

The management and treatment of mental disorders in primary care is a fundamental step which enables the largest number of people to get easier and faster access to services. Primary health care systems are increasingly relied upon to deliver a myriad of health services, especially in situations of scarcity. In low- and middle- income countries, where poverty and sickness are high, and access to health care is low, health professionals and policy makers have emphasized approaches that integrate the diverse roles of health care and social systems. For HIV programs, integration has enabled shared use of space and staffing through training of healthcare workers and standardizing procedures, increasing the number of people who have receive care. Integration to primary care was one of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) 10 recommendations in the World Health Report 2001 on mental health.