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ACP: Access to behavioral, mental health services ‘vital’

President Donald J. Trump recently signed an executive order requesting more access to and coverage for behavioral and mental health services for veterans.

In a statement, the ACP announced its support of the president’s order, noting that behavioral and mental health services are crucial in the treatment of a patients’ overall health.

The ACP also urged the administration to guarantee that behavioral and mental health services are better integrated into primary care.

“Most patients with behavioral health needs use the primary care office as their main source of care, and given the nation’s shortage of behavioral health providers, this may be the only setting in which behavioral health problems can be broadly recognized and treated,” Jack Ende, MD, president of the ACP, said in the statement.

The administration must recognize the evidence that shows the value of integrating behavioral health into primary care, according to the ACP.