Tropical Texas Behavioral Health (TTBH) is the local mental health authority for the more than 1.2 million residents of Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties in Texas. TTBH’s Improving Access to Integrated Care for Rio Grande Valley Residents with Severe & Persistent Mental Illness is an integrated behavioral health model (IBH). The program was implemented in TTBH’s Brownsville, TX clinic to expand primary care services delivered to adults receiving behavioral health services in the region.
Study Goals:
The study involved an impact evaluation and implementation evaluation:
- The impact evaluation study compared intervention participants receiving the delivery of integrated behavioral health with comparison participants receiving the usual care.
- The implementation evaluation focused on measuring the level of program services provided and quality of services program participants received. It also assessed the extent to which the comparison group received similar program services.
Research Questions:
The study included several confirmatory and exploratory research questions. It also included evaluation questions focused on program implementation. Sample research questions include:
- Are patients who receive coordinated co-located services more likely to reduce their blood pressure compared to patients receiving the usual care?
- Are patients who receive coordinated co-located services more likely to improve their functioning and quality of life compared to patients receiving the usual care?
- Did the TTBH program reach its intended target population?
- To what extent did the comparison groups receive program-like components?
Findings:
The study found the following:
- After 12 months in the program, intervention participants were more likely than comparison participants to see significant improvements in their systolic blood pressure.
- After 12 months in the program, intervention participants were more likely than comparison participants to see significant improvements in their HbA1c levels.
For more information, download the full report and report brief.
Full report
Further information
Program/Intervention
Sí Texas: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Rio Grande Valley Residents with Severe & Persistent Mental Illness
Implementing Organization
Tropical Texas Behavioral Health (TTBH)
Intermediary(s)
Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
AmeriCorps Program(s)
Social Innovation Fund
Study Type(s)
Impact
Implementation
Study Design(s)
Experimental (RCT)
Researcher/Evaluator
Health Resources in Action, Inc.
Published Year
2018