What Is 
Behavioral health?

Behavioral health refers to the connection between behaviors, emotions, and an individual’s overall well-being, both mentally and physically. Mental health issues severely impact an individual’s ability to handle everyday responsibilities, as well as negatively affect relationships with family members, friends, and other loved ones.

1 in 5 (about 58 million) Americans suffer from a mental illness (NIMH, 2021). You are not alone, and it is okay to ask for help. At Optima, we pride ourselves in compassionate and quality care. We are determined to break the stigma surrounding mental health.

 

What Are Behavioral Health Services?

Behavioral health services cater to individuals who experience:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • ADHD
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Trauma-related disorders
  • Stress

Behavioral health services can help improve the patient’s quality of life, ensure their safety, and help them achieve optimal mental and emotional health. At Optima Medical, we ensure our patients have access to the exact resources and treatment services they need.

The importance of Behavioral Health Services

Your mental and emotional well-being is just as important as your physical health. Behavioral health services in a medical clinic setting ensure:

  • Holistic care: By addressing both physical and mental health, patients receive comprehensive care tailored to treating your individualistic needs. In other words, “whole person” care.
  • Early detection: Regular medical check-ups can aid in early detection of behavioral health issues, leading to timely interventions.
  • Integrated treatment: Many physical ailments have underlying emotional or mental components. Integrated care ensures all facets of a patient’s health are addressed.
 

At Optima Medical, we understand that mental and behavioral health issues are multi-dimensional, often intersecting with physical well-being. Our dedicated team of professionals offers a wide range of services tailored to your unique journey, ensuring that we treat you as a whole person.

Optima Medical’s Behavioral Health Program

Benefits of Services

  • Direct access to a psychiatric provider through your behavioral health care manager.
  • Weekly, biweekly, or monthly telephonic visits with your care manager.
  • Develop healthy communication skills, coping skills, remove roadblocks to success, increase motivation, manage stress better, and instill hope for the future.
 
Telehealth Consultations
  • Behavioral health specialists will perform an initial comprehensive evaluation as well as subsequent ongoing evaluations. They will provide resources and evidence-based interventions to improve well-being.
  • They will provide resources and evidence-based interventions to improve well-being.
  • Psychiatric providers will provide full psychiatric evaluation and medication management.

Behavioral Health FAQs

Q: What kinds of treatments are available for behavioral health issues at Optima?

A: Treatment for behavioral health issues is varied and tailored to the individual’s specific condition and needs. Your behavioral health care manager will help you build coping skills, increase self-awareness of symptoms, provide psychoeducation, process daily stressors, and provide resources for individual/group therapy. If you chose to explore medication options, our psychiatric providers will perform a comprehensive evaluation to determine what medication will be the best fit for you.

Q: How do I know if I or someone I know needs behavioral health treatment?

A: Recognizing the need for behavioral health treatment often begins with observing changes in behavior, mood, or daily functioning that persist or worsen over time. Symptoms might include excessive sadness or worry, extreme mood changes, confusion, withdrawal from social activities, changes in sleeping or eating habits, or the use of substances to cope with daily challenges. However, a definitive diagnosis should always be made by a qualified healthcare professional

Q: Do you offer in-person care for behavioral health services? 

A: At Optima, our behavioral health program operates virtually, making it convenient for you to receive care via telehealth. We do not offer in-person services.

Q: What are your hours of operation? 

A: Our department is open Monday- Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm.

Q: I’m having thoughts of hurting myself or someone else. What should I do?

A: If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or hurting someone else, you should seek emergency services immediately. You can call the national suicide crisis prevention line at 988.

Q: What is the difference between a behavioral health care manager and a therapist?

A: A behavioral health care manager is not a licensed professional, they are behavioral health specialists. They can provide brief psychotherapy interventions such as developing healthy coping skills, creating healthy habits, psychoeducation, and processing daily stressors you may have. Their main job role is to collaborate with patients, their primary care provider, and their psychiatric provider to develop comprehensive treatment plans. They also coordinate care between you and your psychiatric provider, making it easy to schedule an appointment, get a refill, etc. A therapist is a licensed counselor that provides direct therapeutic interventions to help you gain skills and understand why you do the things you do. Your care manager can assist with getting you counseling services.

Q: What mental health conditions is Optima unable to treat?

A: Because we operate virtually, it would be unethical to provide services to certain mental health conditions. Some conditions require a higher level of care, which would require in-person services. We are unable to treat patients who are SMI (serious mental illness), those that suffer from a severe psychiatric condition such as schizophrenia, patients who are an imminent risk of harm to themselves or others, substance use disorders, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and certain intellectual disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder. We are also unable to treat minors

Book an appointment now

Our team at Optima Medical is ready to support you with behavioral health treatment in Phoenix. Find an Optima Medical location near you, and make an appointment.