Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Integrative Mental Health?

Integrative mental health is the sum of all the conventional western/allopathic medicine PLUS complimentary/alternative that is applied not only to restore mental health, where it has been disturbed, but also to promote mental wellness in the population as a whole. 

Integrative Mental Health brings the best of all available care to focus on a whole-person approach to healing and preventive care.  This includes conventional medicine, healing philosophies, and a variety of healing therapies.  In addition, in the case of complicated and chronic medical conditions, it assumes that mental health care needs and medical needs will be addressed together to support the health of  patients.

Where would Integrative Mental Health care be provided?

In an ideal health care system, Integrative Mental Health care would be available at every level of care.  The actual services may vary, depending on the location of care.  For instance, a patient served in a hospital environment (in patient) would have access to services such as a review of medication interactions, dietary assessments and education, an exercise needs assessment and  meeting with a health coach.  In addition, programs of care offered in the hospital setting would expose patients to healing aspects of the environment, and group treatment modalities such as movement therapies, yoga, meditation, aroma therapy and qi-gong.

In the outpatient environment, the emphasis might be more toward individual needs, and less on groups.  Many of the treatments would be identical to patients in the hospital.  Some treatment that might be unique in the out patient setting include acupuncture, transcranial magnetic stimulation, nutrition, herbs, probiotics, chiropractics, light therapy, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback.

How is Integrative Mental Health care reimbursed?

There is a great range of variability in reimbursement at the present time.   Many approaches are already reimbursed, including nutritional assessments, exercise assessment, some vitamin therapies, light therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture.   In other cases, condition specific coverage is provided for treatments such as biofeedback and hypnotherapy. Further, there are many promising treatments that are presumed to be of significant value that are not yet paid for.  These specific treatments could be a focus for clinical investigation to gage outcomes and benefit.  It is clear the American public is willing and able to pay cash for the treatments they desire.  Our most sincere hope would be that the outcome of well considered clinical investigation would lead to broad coverage changes to include a greater variety of Integrative treatments as their benefit is scientifically demonstrated.

2008 Integrative Medicine | Message from Dr. Roberta Mann