Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Despite the growing prevalence of mental illness, the integration of mental health services in primary care has been a persistent challenge in Canada. The design of Canadian health systems has partly contributed to siloed service delivery and barriers to accessing mental health care. This is significant as primary care is a crucial point for integration, and is often the first point of contact for individuals within the health system. Integrating mental health services into primary care leads to reduced stigma, improvement in the treatment of comorbidities, and enhanced access to care. The objective of this project is to conduct a scoping review, which will answer the following research question: what are the policy and system-level barriers and enablers to implementing evidence-based collaborative care models to integrate mental health services in primary care? Research results will have the potential to inform policies to support the implementation of evidence-based models of integrated mental and physical health care.