Internal Behavioral Health Consultation Service

The Internal Behavioral Health Consultant (IBHC) is a psychologist, social worker or psychiatric nurse practitioner specially trained to work as a member of your Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) team. Because you will be seen by the IBHC within the primary care clinic, you can expect your IBHC to have a close working relationship with your primary medical provider.

Your appointment should last no longer than about 30 minutes. You will be asked specific questions about your physical symptoms, the emotional concerns you are experiencing, your behaviors, and how all of these might be related. Your IBHC will share with you brief, solution-focused skills and techniques that might help you feel better.

The IBHC does not provide traditional psychotherapy, it simply adds another facet to your complete healthcare within your PCMH team. If you request it, or the IBHC thinks you would benefit from it, he or she will work with your provider to enter a referral to specialty behavioral health services for you. Another difference from specialty behavioral healthcare is that your IBHC will document the assessment and recommendations in your outpatient medical record. He or she will not document in a separate behavioral health record.

Your IBHC will make every effort to protect your privacy and confidentiality, consistent with military and federal regulations. However, your IBHC will share your information with your PCM and other members of your healthcare team. Additionally, like all providers, they must report information from any active duty patient that could have a negative impact on our mission.

Your Primary Care Manager (PCM) is in charge of your healthcare. The IBHC's main job is to help create the best integrated healthcare plan for you!