The integrated health home, the Hope Health and Wellness Clinic, provides comprehensive primary and behavioral health services to adult clients of a Community Mental Health Center in Aurora, Colorado. A program evaluation of the effectiveness of this clinic was conducted over a 4 year period. Physical health data (Body Mass Index BMI, HbA1c, cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference measurements) and self-report data (social connectedness, everyday functioning, psychological distress, perceived health, satisfaction with services) were tracked across time. Individuals enrolled (N = 534) experienced significant improvements over time in LDL and total cholesterol, as well as self-reported social connectedness, everyday functioning, perceived health, and psychological distress. At risk individuals demonstrated significant improvements in HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, tobacco and alcohol use. Individuals with serious mental illness show improvements in physical health and self-reported health after being involved in bidirectional integrated care.
Keywords: Bidirectional clinic; Community mental health; Integrated care; Serious mental illness.