The broad goal of this initiative is the improved identification, assessment, treatment and/or referral of patients with mental health concerns in the practices of family physicians and other primary care providers in the participating regions. It is believed this mode of service delivery will ultimately improve patient outcomes and create a more efficient mental health system in small urban and rural regions. The specific objectives of the Southern Alberta Shared Mental Health Care project are listed below:

A. To enhance the quality of mental health care received by patients in their family physician’s practice, as indicated by the following:

1) Identification of the learning needs of the primary care providers in the Chinook and Calgary Rural regions via a Needs Assessment, and appropriate adjustment of the SMHC model to the particular environment and population.

2) Enhanced ability of family physicians to recognize and manage their mental health patients within their practice (e.g., earlier and more accurate recognition, more appropriate treatment, more appropriate referrals, etc.).

3) Enhanced physicians’ comfort and confidence in assessing and treating the mental health concerns of their patients.

B. To improve the efficiency of mental health care service provision, as indicated by the following:

1) Improved coordination and collaboration among mental health care providers (e.g., improved communication between family physicians and mental health professionals).

2) Expanded physician networks, especially in rural settings.

3) Increased awareness of family physicians and mental health clinicians in the Chinook and Calgary Rural Regions of each others’ needs and resources.

4) Development of stronger mental health linkages between health regions.

C. To improve access to mental health care, as indicated by the following:

1) Physician perception of improved access to mental health care for patients who might otherwise have to wait for service from over-burdened and/or geographically distant hospital-based services or community-based services or not receive service at all.

2) Increased ease of referral to the appropriate services or resources for those patients whose problem severity or complexity requires more specialized service than can be provided in a primary care setting.

D. To improve patients’ mental health, as indicated by the following:

1) Patients report reduced mental health symptom levels and positive changes in their main presenting problems following participation in the SMHC project.

E. To provide a model that satisfies the patients and the SMHC service providers, as indicated by the following:

1) Positive measures of patient satisfaction as to the help they received under the shared care arrangement.

2) Positive measures of patient satisfaction with their physician’s attention to, and management of, mental health concerns during clinic visits subsequent to the patient’s involvement in the SMHC project.

3) Positive ratings of family physicians regarding the delivery of the SMHC model (e.g., project management; communication; compensation).

4) Positive ratings of family physicians regarding the benefit of the SMHC project to their practices and working lives.

5) Positive satisfaction ratings of SMHC consultants and any other primary care providers involved in the SMHC project.

F. To improve the mental health care system, as indicated by the following:

1) An increase in the total number of mental health patients identified, assessed and treated in each physician’s practice.

2) A reduction in referrals out of physician offices to secondary or tertiary hospital mental health/psychiatric programs, to hospital Emergency Departments and/or to community mental health clinics and crisis services.

3) A decrease in the financial costs required to treat mental health cases.