Integrating mental health into primary care an integrative collaborative primary care model--the Jamaican experience.

Many low-income countries face enormous constraints which limit the development of mental health services. The World Health Organization (WHO) made ten recommendations to facilitate the development of mental health services; among these is the integration of mental health into primary care. Jamaica developed an integrated collaborative system of mental health care through the adoption of a primary care model which is central to the delivery of mental health care. This model emphasized the integration of mental health into primary care and, in expanding the role of the mental health team, made it more collaborative. Mental health services were mainstreamed into primary care and several strategies facilitated this process. These included the training of staff in primary care, the availability of psychotropic medication in primary care facilities and the provision of mental health beds at the community level. Furthermore, focus was placed on human development and the involvement of consumers in the policy development and service delivery. This has resulted in a reduction in the population of the mental health hospital and expansion in the community mental health services.

Integrating mental health into primary care: an integrative collaborative primary care model - the Jamaican experience / Integrar la salud mental en la atención primaria: un modelo de integracional de la atención primaria - la experiencia jamaicana

Many low-income countries face enormous constraints which limit the development of mental health services. The World Health Organization (WHO) made ten recommendations to facilitate the development of mental health services; among these is the integration of mental health into primary care. Jamaica developed an integrated collaborative system of mental health care through the adoption of a primary care model which is central to the delivery of mental health care. This model emphasized the integration of mental health into primary care and, in expanding the role of the mental health team, made it more collaborative. Mental health services were mainstreamed into primary care and several strategies facilitated this process. These included the training of staff in primary care, the availability of psychotropic medication in primary care facilities and the provision of mental health beds at the community level. Furthermore, focus was placed on human development and the involvement of consumers in the policy development and service delivery. This has resulted in a reduction in the population of the mental health hospital and expansion in the community mental health services.

Muchos países de bajo ingreso enfrentan enormes restricciones que limitan el desarrollo de los servicios de salud mental. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) hizo diez recomendaciones para facilitar el desarrollo de los servicios para la salud mental. Entre estas recomendaciones, se encuentra la integración de la salud mental a la atención primaria. Jamaica desarrolló un sistema integracional colaborativo de atención a la salud mental a través de la adopción de un modelo de atención primaria de crucial importancia para el ofrecimiento del cuidado de salud mental. Este modelo puso el énfasis en la integración de salud mental en la atención primaria, y la expansión del papel del equipo de la salud mental, haciéndolo más colaborativo. Los servicios de salud mental fueron introducidos de manera regular en la atención primaria, y se trazaron varias estrategias a fin de facilitar este proceso. Éstas incluyeron el entrenamiento de personal en atención primaria, la disponibilidad de medicamentos psicotrópicos en los centros de atención primaria, y suministro de camas para la atención a la salud mental a nivel comunitario. Además, se puso énfasis en el desarrollo humano y la involucración de los consumidores en el desarrollo de políticas y el ofrecimiento de servicios. Esto ha traído consigo una reducción en la población hospitalaria atendida por salud mental, en tanto que por otra parte, ha producido una expansión en los servicios de salud mental en la comunidad.