Pathways to Clinical Integration

Clinical services stand at the center of the mission of the Department of Psychiatry, alongside a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research. The department’s strategy is to design innovative mental health care delivery and illness prevention models that will meet the needs of residents of Central Texas and that are scalable to the state and beyond.

Partners

The department and its community partners work to evolve the mental health care system in Travis County and help make Austin a model healthy city — improving patient outcomes, increasing patient and provider satisfaction, reducing health care costs, and improving the functioning of the mental health system. Partners include:

• Austin Travis County Integral Care
• Ascension Seton Behavioral Health Care
• Austin State Hospital
• CommUnityCare

UT Health Austin

Bipolar Integrated Practice Unit

Jointly operated by Integral Care, Travis County’s local mental health and intellectual and developmental disability authority, and Dell Med as part of the Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, this clinical unit serves people with low incomes living with the most complex mental health conditions. Dell Med faculty physicians and Integral Care professionals lead the practice team, and providers use team-based, data-driven models and processes employed by UT Health Austin clinics.

Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences

The Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences brings together a range of skilled clinicians to provide specialized care for medical conditions affecting the brain or central nervous system such as depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and more.

Collaborative Care

The Collaborative Care Team in the Department of Psychiatry at Dell Medical School brings attention to healthy habits and basic mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and substance misuse into clinical services across UT Health Austin. The team’s model draws from the Collaborative Care Model developed by the University of Washington and is being adapted to subspecialty settings at UT Health Austin. The team recognizes that overall health includes mental health, and evidence suggests that addressing the complete needs of people helps them get and stay healthier than less comprehensive approaches.

The Department of Psychiatry at Dell Med is collaborating with Integral Care on this integration. The Collaborative Care Team is combining the expertise and resources of Dell Med and Integral Care to create an opportunity to have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of residents of Central Texas.

Team Members:

• Cynthia Corral, LCSW
• Mayra Robles, LCSW