The Use of Learning Collaboratives to Support Integrated Mental Health and Opioid Use Disorder Services: Lessons from the HEALing Communities Study

Abstract

Mental health concerns (e.g., psychiatric disorders, traumatic experiences, suicidal ideation) are common among those with opioid use disorder (OUD) and are associated with an increased risk of overdose. Yet, few people with OUD receive integrated treatment for psychiatric disorders or other concerns, underscoring the need for approaches that reduce barriers to integrated care, such as a lack of knowledge about mental health conditions among frontline workers and providers. In this Community Case Study, we describe an effort at a single site (Massachusetts) of the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) to address barriers to integrated care through Learning Collaboratives (LCs), a method for large-scale dissemination of evidence-based practices. The HCS was a parallel-group, community-engaged, cluster-randomized trial conducted across four states/sites from January 2020 to December 2023 to reduce fatal opioid-related overdoses. LC sessions were offered to partners in HCS communities (e.g., frontline workers and providers, such as peer recovery coaches, social workers, psychiatrists) to support overdose reduction strategies. The HCS Massachusetts site implemented an LC series focused on mental health and OUD, including didactic presentations emphasizing concrete take-home messages and intervention strategies, case presentations, and interactive discussions. Provider participants from various professional backgrounds rated the LC sessions as helpful and useful, highlighting the feasibility of this method for disseminating information on evidence-based practices to address OUD and co-occurring mental health concerns. We also discuss challenges and lessons learned by the planning team to inform future LCs that address integrated care for OUD and mental health concerns.