University Hospitals Receive PCORI Grant for Complex Psychiatric Disorders Treatment and Access

By Integrative Practitioner Staff 

University Hospitals in Cleveland has secured $1 million in funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). PCORI is a nonprofit organization that funds and supports patient-centered comparative effectiveness research that provides patients and caregivers with reliable evidence to make better health care decisions. The funds will be used to expand University Hospitals’ collaborative care model to all 88 practices within the UH Primary Care Institute. This novel telehealth-driven model treats individuals with complex psychiatric disorders.  

“This funding gives us the opportunity to bring timely, coordinated mental health support into the places where patients already receive care,” said Mary Gabriel, M.D., M.S., senior director of behavioral health in Population Health Primary Care Institute, UH Cleveland Medical Center, in a press release. “By expanding telepsychiatry within primary care, we can reach people earlier, reduce gaps in treatment, and better support individuals living with complex psychiatric conditions.” 

Only one-third of people living with complex psychiatric disorders receive care from mental health specialists, and others in primary care settings do not receive sufficient care. Access to mental health services remains challenging for many people, with one of the most significant obstacles being a nationwide shortage and uneven geographic distribution of mental health professionals. 

“By integrating telepsychiatry into primary care, we can reduce barriers and help more individuals living with complex conditions find a path toward stability and better health,” said Marlene Miller, M.D., M.S., UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Chief Scientific Officer, in the press release. 

The model embeds mental health services into primary care by adding a behavioral health coordinator—usually a licensed mental health clinician—to the existing care team. The expansion will also increase access to screening and treatment for additional conditions, including bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. This initiative will concentrate on implementing findings from PCORI-funded comparative clinical effectiveness research that established the clinical benefits of two telehealth-delivered treatment approaches for adults diagnosed with PTSD and bipolar disorder.