Public Policy Issues Affecting Integrated Health Care: Challenges, Opportunities, and Implications for Clinical Mental Health Counselors

Abstract

The growing need for the treatment of the whole person creates an opportunity for establishing a holistic integrated health care (IHC) system in various clinical settings. Considering the issues with existing IHC models and related public policies, and the current barriers facing clinical mental health counselors (CMHCs) who hope to become an integral part of IHC teams, we propose a new holistic IHC model. We highlight several practical implications of our proposed model that could be beneficial for the development of professional identity of CMHCs and their inclusion in IHC teams. We also offer numerous propositions for improving IHC-related policies in favor of CMHCs and the counseling profession.