Integrated Behavioral Health
About Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH)
IBH, providing medical and behavioral health care together, is an evidence-based strategy that utilizes team-based care in a collaborative model for enhancing access, improving patient outcomes, reducing stigma, and promoting health care equity.
IBH promotes enhanced collaboration between medical and behavioral health practitioners, often with support from care managers, to provide comprehensive patient care. Identifying clinical and business goals, workforce requirements, and training opportunities will contribute to successful implementation. The AAMC is committed to advancing and promoting the uptake of IBH models in both primary and specialty care and to identifying the optimal use of technology as a complement to these models of care.
The AAMC also advocates for federal policies that enable providers to adopt and expand IBH patient care models, thereby reducing stigma and promoting access to care.
Integrated Behavioral Health Virtual Community
This community is designed to foster the sharing of ideas, insights, and resources, as well as the latest information pertinent to advancing and sustaining IBH in academic medicine. Discussion topics include, but are not limited to, digital mental health tools and technology, expanded training of IBH in graduate medical education, operational efficiency, data and measurement, and policy changes impacting IBH.
We encourage community members to pose questions and develop connections that will ultimately strengthen the IBH knowledge base and reaffirm the whole-person framework as central to high-quality care.
The IBH community is open to thought leaders, providers, clinical and operational leaders, and trainees.
Interested in the conversation? Learn how to join the IBH community.
Integrated Behavioral Health Webinar Learning Series
In the interest of advancing IBH implementation within academic medicine, the AAMC launched a free four-part webinar series. Each webinar highlights considerations for implementing IBH, core competencies for interdisciplinary training, use of technology in integrated care, and lessons learned and promising practices from newly established and long-standing programs. Access the recordings, key takeaways, and accompanying resources.
For more information, email a mental health team member.
Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Awards
Known in 2024 as the Mental and Behavioral Health Training Awards — designed to recognize innovative training programs focusing on skills for integrated care — the 2025 Integrated Behavioral Health Awards recognized advancements and excellence in both training programs and integrated clinical delivery models.
Learn more about the award winners.
Advocating for IBH
The AAMC also advocates for federal policies that enable providers to adopt and expand IBH patient care models.
AAMC Holds Virtual Congressional Briefing on Integrated Behavioral Health (Oct. 14, 2022).
Learn about the AAMC’s congressional briefing, which includes the association’s legislative recommendations to expand the behavioral health workforce.
Additional Resource on IBH
“To Reduce Suicide, Primary Care and Mental Health Clinicians Need to Work Together. Congress Can Help That Happen.” (Stat, June 2024)
This article highlights the evidence and current legislative actions to support the integration of mental health care into primary care settings for suicide risk reduction.
For questions about the AAMC’s behavioral health advocacy, contact a government relations team member.