provider reading documents.

In this toolkit, you will find topic-specific resources to assist in the care of your patients—resources for treating substance use disorder, level-of-care certification, behavioral health screenings and more. We believe you will find the below resources useful as you treat and support your patients.

[Music]

Stigma is a set of negative and frequently unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something. 

Specifically, mental health stigma refers to the stigma attached to mental health conditions—inclusive of substance use disorders and the discrimination that can happen to people who are living with them. 

For mental health specifically, stigma tends to be negative stereotypes such as: people with mental health are violent. 

It can really make problems worse as it may stop a person from appropriately recognizing their illness or being insightful about those things, and this can certainly impact one's ability to function. 

Most of us who speak Spanish, we do have strong family beliefs and strong community beliefs. Those types of things are very positive, can also be very negative when it comes to seeking mental health treatment. 

There is a long history of mistreatment of African-Americans in healthcare which has led to poor outcomes and less access to care and I think in those communities, mental health issues are often compounded by the psychological stress of systemic racism and mistrust.

 We have a saying: “lo que pasa en casa se queda en casa” , which means “what happens at home stays at home”. And we’re very private, especially when it comes to personal and sometimes family issues.

Early studies of mental illness were really designed to indicate that African-Americans had higher rates of mental illness than non-African-Americans. This has certainly later been refuted in a multitude of studies, but the damage was really done.

Because of stigma, African-Americans have been given the diagnosis of schizophrenia more so than other affective disorders like bipolar disorder, despite presenting with the same symptoms. 

Some of the studies show only one in three black or African-Americans with mental health issues ever receive appropriate treatment, either because of not seeking that treatment out or not being properly engaged in the healthcare continuum or being adherent to the recommendation. So I think there there's large impacts and there's multiple issues that kind of cause that.

Humana is joining the fight to reduce stigma in many ways, ensuring that the providers that we contract with and the folks that they bring on board do receive education in cultural humility, help with interpretation services, and they’re also doing a lot of research on population health strategies and been looking at how to give back to communities. 

We're taking a multi-prong approach because we understand that stigma is multifactorial, so we're addressing those things head-on. 

Humana’s focus is really on integrating behavioral health with physical health is probably the most impactful way of impacting and fighting stigma. The integration of Behavioral Health and physical health shows the equal importance of the two, as well as the understanding of the impact that one has towards the other. 

So it's really important that as a provider community, you know, we all stick together, right. No one person has the solution.  

I think to make this point well, it’s really important that when we're with those patients in our business, that we slow down a little bit and really engage those individuals.

I would encourage other physicians who want to fight against stigma just to simply be conscious of their language, to continue to show compassion for those with mental illness, and to use their voices to advocate for changes in systems in order to provide more access to Quality Health Care for people with mental Illness.

[Music]

Substance Use and addiction Treatment

Addiction can affect people of all ages and walks of life. Drug and alcohol use can lead to substance use disorder (SUD), a disease that chemically alters a person’s brain, making it difficult to quit using substances, despite understanding the harmful effects. Substance use disorder can cause significant impairment, including health problems, disability and difficulty meeting work, school and home obligations, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Humana Healthy Horizons strives to provide members with substance abuse services that can assist members in recovery and support health in all areas of their lives.

Oklahoma Medicaid

  • Humana Healthy Horizons in Oklahoma
  • Availity
  • Behavioral Health
  • Behavioral Health Toolkit
  • Claims and Payments
  • Clinical Coverage Policies
  • Prior Authorizations
  • Provider Resources
  • Training and Education
  • Contact Us

Addiction criteria for treatment

The American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is a physician-led organization of some 7,000 medical and related professionals that aims to improve addiction treatment and enhance addiction-related education.

ASAM developed a set of criteria healthcare providers can use to assess individuals to help determine the most appropriate level of care. These criteria are the foundation of addiction treatment in many states.

  • Access the ASAM criteria for addiction treatment
  • Learn more about ASAM levels of care

Treating substance use disorder in older adults

SAMHSA makes available guidance in the latest evidence-based screening and assessment approaches, interventions and services for substance use. It is intended for behavioral health services providers, healthcare professionals, older adults, and people significant in the lives of these adults.

  • Access the SAMHSA Treating Substance Use in Older Adults Treatment Improvement Protocol
  • Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) training

Opioid Risk Tool

The Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) is a brief, self-report screening tool designed for use with adult patients in primary care settings to assess risk for opioid misuse among individuals prescribed opioids for treatment of chronic pain. The ORT can be administered and scored in less than 1 minute and has been validated in male and female patients but not in nonpain populations.

  • Access the Opioid Risk Tool

Alcohol use screening tools

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a 10-item questionnaire approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) to screen patients for hazardous or risky and harmful alcohol consumption habits.

The CAGE Questionnaire is a similar tool, developed at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina. It is used internationally for identifying alcoholism in adults. 

  • WHO AUDIT alcohol screening tool
  • WHO AUDIT alcohol screening scoring template
  • CAGE Questionnaire

Screening for substance use in teens and young adults

The CRAFFT is an efficient and effective health screening tool designed to identify substance use, substance-related riding/driving risk, and substance use disorder among patients ages 12-21. It can provide information to serve as the basis for early intervention and patient-centered counseling for youth.

  • CRAAFT 2.1+N Interview

Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10)

The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) was designed to provide a brief, self-report instrument to screen for drug use. It can be used with adults and older youth. The instrument takes approximately 5 minutes to administer and may be given in either a self-report or interview format in a variety of settings.

  • Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10)

Behavioral health screening tools

Behavioral health screening tools play a vital role in identifying and addressing mental health issues. By assessing individuals for symptoms of various conditions such as depression and anxiety, these tools enable healthcare providers to intervene early and prevent potential escalation of problems. Early detection of behavioral health issues can lead to more effective treatment outcomes, which reduce the burden on individuals, families, and the healthcare system. These tools can also help normalize discussions around mental health, encouraging people to seek help without stigma or shame.

This Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)  is designed to screen adult patients in primary care settings. The instrument assesses for the presence and severity of depressive symptoms and a possible depressive disorder.

Maternal health-related screening

Mental health issues like depression and anxiety can affect pregnant women and new mothers alike, which can adversely affect a new baby’s well-being. Prioritizing mental health promotes healthier pregnancies, improves maternal outcomes and fosters a supportive environment for families.

  • Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale (EPDS)

Pediatric Screening

Behavioral health issues in children can be challenging to detect. The PSC-17 can help primary care providers assess the likelihood of finding any mental health disorder in their patient. It is a brief and easy-to-score tool with reliable mental health screening characteristics when used with pediatric patients.

  • Pediatric Symptoms Checklist (PSC-17)

Assessing cognitive function in older adults

It is important to detect cognitive impairment in older adults as early as possible to implement effective intervention.

The SMMSE and the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Exam are brief screening tools that can be used to assist in diagnosis of cognitive impairment resulting from Alzheimer's disease, dementia or depression.

  • Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE)
  • VAMC SLUMS Examination

Mental Health Toolkits

Mental Health America

Mental Health Month Toolkit

Mental Health America’s Mental Health Month toolkit provides free, practical resources to introduce mental health topics like recognizing warning signs, knowing factors that lead to mental health conditions, maintaining mental wellness and seeking help for mental health.

Access the toolkit

Mental Health America

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Toolkit

Mental Health America’s BIPOC toolkit includes information and resources for specific BIPOC communities, calls to action, worksheets and general resources for BIPOC individuals.

Access the toolkit

Behavioral health information sheets

Key mental health terms and medications

Key mental health terms

Common mental health medications

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Depression

Depression

Teens and young adults

Teens and young adults – English

Teens and young adults – Spanish

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Suicide

Suicide