What to Do When Evidence-Based Treatment Manuals Are Not Enough? Adapting Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions for Primary Care

Significant barriers exist in accessing high-quality, evidence-based psychological interventions in traditional mental health settings. Adapting these interventions for delivery within primary care is particularly advantageous given that the majority of individuals with mental health conditions are more likely to seek care in this environment much earlier in their course of illness than in specialty mental health clinics. The aim of this paper is to summarize efforts at Mayo Clinic to develop and disseminate evidence-based psychological interventions across multiple primary care clinics. Adaptations aimed at improving access to care, enhancing the quality of care, and incorporating a system of measurement-based outcomes are unique features that are essential to the sustainability and advancement of integrated behavioral health programs within primary care.