It can be a significant challenge for people living with a mental health diagnosis to receive all the care they need, particularly when the complex and highly specialized healthcare system requires so much of us. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, particularly when mental and physical health conditions drain us of the energy needed to move forward.
The team at Behavioral Health Home (BHH) exists to support individuals with serious mental health diagnoses and who are on Medical Assistance.
BHH services provide clients with education, resources, referrals and support to meet their unique needs and goals in all areas of their health and wellness. It could mean understanding a specific diagnosis or receiving support to work through the obstacles that frequently deter people from accessing the care they need.
An Integrated Approach From a Multidisciplinary Team
The BHH program supports clients in a multidisciplinary three-person team, their “pod.” Pods have three specialists: A Health Home Specialist, a Systems Navigator and an Integration Specialist, who is a Registered Nurse. Between these three staff members’ expertise, a bevy of resources become available to the client like medical education on managing their diagnosis, referrals to legal aid or dentistry – to name a few! But the BHH pod doesn’t stop at making the referral; they follow up with clients to assure that services are accessed.
Program Manager, Laura Rogowski, says the team works together, alongside the client, “to provide thoughtful and meaningful recommendations and referrals that will help the client feel healthy and happy in their day-to-day life.”
In BHH services, there is no meaningful difference between mental and physical health, only resources and referrals to support each client’s unique needs and goals on their path to health and wellness. Health Home Specialist, Barbara Kaiser, pointed out the vital connection between mental and physical health by saying, “Having a mental health diagnosis is exactly the same as having, for example, high blood pressure. You need to understand your symptoms, know when and how to take medicine and when to contact the doctor if something isn’t right.” Barbara added, “We should never delineate between mental and physical health – it’s just HEALTH!”
How To Access BHH Services
BHH services help individuals who have a serious mental illness diagnosis and are on Medical Assistance. Clients can be referred from other Guild teams, outside programs, or individuals can refer themselves by calling (651) 925-8490.