BayCare Health System Aligns Behavioral Health Services
Harbor and BayCare Life Management to be Known as BayCare Behavioral Health CLEARWATER, Fla. As part of its commitment to providing coordinated behavioral health care in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, BayCare Health System is aligning all of its mental health and substance abuse services under the name, BayCare Behavioral Health. Previously, BayCare’s mental health and substance abuse services had been known as BayCare Life Management, and the Harbor Behavioral Health Care. “Branding our programs with the BayCare name is the last step in a three-year journey to transform our substance abuse and mental health services into a coordinated system of care,” said John Sheehan, vice president, behavioral health services, BayCare Health System. “Beyond changing our name we will continue building an array of quality behavioral health and wellness treatment options that are focused on the needs of each individual patient."
On-going efforts include integrating behavioral health services with BayCare Health System’s significant hospital and primary medical facilities and services. “Mental health is a key component of physical health and overall wellness. We are creating a patient-centered model of care that assesses and treats the whole person in a coordinated way, using the latest evidence-based care practices. This approach improves the patient’s treatment experience and clinical outcome and makes service delivery much more efficient,” said Sheehan. BayCare Behavioral Health and the hospital-based in-patient programs at Morton Plant, St. Anthony’s and St. Joseph’s hospitals will continue to offer the same range of services. “Our behavioral health programs have served the community for more than three decades and we are deeply aware of the challenges faced by adults, children and families in these difficult economic times. Unfortunately tough times create a great need for quality mental health and substance abuse treatment that is accessible and affordable. We will continue to champion the idea that treatment works and recovery is possible for everyone. We expect to be an even stronger voice in the community,” noted Sheehan.
Other examples of the coordinated system of care BayCare Behavioral Health is developing: - Pinellas County—A new inpatient unit at Morton Plant Hospital offering specialized treatment for adults with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
- Hillsborough County—Construction will begin in 2010 on a new, advanced, behavioral health hospital.
- Pasco County—Plans are moving forward to bring children’s in-patient psychiatric care to the County to meet a critical unmet community treatment need and allow children and families in crisis to access care closer to home.
- Partnering with Premier Community Healthcare Group to link behavioral health treatment and case management to Primary Medical Care at their new West Pasco clinic.
About BayCare Behavioral Health
As part of BayCare Health System, the largest non-profit health system in the region, BayCare Behavioral Health is committed to clinical excellence, innovation and access to a continuum of recovery-focused therapeutic services. Care options include inpatient, outpatient, early intervention and prevention, employee and student assistance programs and case management services. Convenient treatment sites are located throughout the local communities. On the web: www.baycare.org/behavioralhealth. By phone: 1-877-MyBayCare (1-877-692-2922). ###
Contact: Stephanie Sampiere, Public Relations & Communications Manager
Phone: 727-519-1256
E-mail: Stephanie.Sampiere@baycare.org
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