Integrated Health Care Best Practices and Culturally and Linguistically Competent Care: Practitioner Perspectives

Practitioners in two federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) were interviewed to explore how their organizations carried out best practices in cultural and linguistic competence (CLC) when integrating mental health services into primary care. Archival data and data from interviews with eight clinical service providers were analyzed using exploratory cross-case synthesis. To highlight best practices in integrated health care (IHC), clinical, systemic, and organizational themes were identified: patient-centered care for underserved populations, building and sustaining a successful multidisciplinary team, and increasing capacity and adapting to changing circumstances. CLC did not emerge as a distinct interview theme, though it was present in subthemes and was discussed by both mental health and medical practitioners as central to effective healthcare delivery. The results underscore the need for culturally-tailored research and training that examines how IHC can best serve diverse groups and communities.