Supporting Integrated Behavioral Health in NYC
Unite Us, the nation’s leading software company enabling cross-sector collaboration to improve people’s health and well-being, is partnering with Advance Health Network IPA and Recovery Health Solutions IPA (AHN/RHS), behavioral health independent physician association’s (IPAs) operating in affiliation and comprised of 47 behavioral health and human service organizations serving the New York City and Long Island communities, to advance the integration and coordination of care for individuals with both behavioral health and social needs.
Through this relationship, AHN/RHS behavioral network providers will better serve the people in these communities and improve their drivers of health (DOH) by collaborating with providers across health and social services.
AHN/RHS providers and partners in the network are connected through Unite Us’ shared technology platform, which enables them to send and receive secure, electronic referrals, address people’s social needs, and improve health across communities. Together, AHN/RHS and Unite Us will address the gaps in service availability, access, and communication among providers.
“Our investment and partnership with Unite Us will provide for health information exchange and supportive data analytics for our AHN/RHS providers and community-based organizations, enhancing and streamlining access to the multitude of organizations participating with Unite Us whom provide social services needed by individuals under the care of our providers,” said Bob Detor, CEO at AHN/RHS. “The Unite Us Platform provides seamless integration of our community’s health and social services agencies and is sure to make a substantial difference to those we serve.”
“The collaborative relationship between AHN/RHS IPAs’ behavioral health provider network and Unite Us’ community-based network will combine access to behavioral health and social services while coordinating communication among providers. This partnership in New York City and Long Island will connect people to much-needed resources and services, such as assistance with housing, food insecurity, vocational and behavioral health,” said Carol Cassell, Executive Director at AHN/RHS.
AHN/RHS is also collaborating with the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), which leads the Health Equity Alliance of Long Island—a coalition of nearly 100 drivers of health agencies working together to build a cohesive social care infrastructure for Long Island.
“HWCLI is the Unite Long Island Coordination Center providing agency onboarding support, ongoing network technical assistance, and management of referral traffic. This partnership helps ensure streamlined referrals between all drivers of health (DOH) organizations serving Long Islanders in need,” said Lori Andrade, Chief Operations Officer at HWCLI.
Additionally, AHN/RHS and Unite Us’ integrated data capacity will enhance the integration of behavioral health and DOH services in advance of proposed 1115 Waiver activities.
“The collective goal of our partnership with the Advance Health Network IPA and Recovery Health Solutions IPA is to effectively address drivers affecting health and wellness, increasing equitable access to care for all residents regardless of circumstance,” said Marc Natale, New York State Director at Unite Us. “AHN/RHS and Unite Us efforts will work to redefine the quality, impact, and intersection of health and social care across this community.”
Nonprofits, community-based organizations, and other providers who want to connect their clients and patients to AHN/RHS’ services within the Unite Us network can reach out at uniteus.com/contact/.