The Rutgers Integrated Care Evaluation (RICE) Research Framework: An Innovative and Rigorous Set of Methods to Evaluate Integrated Care Programs.

Introduction: Integrated care programs that prioritize comprehensive service delivery for behavioural health and medical conditions have the potential to improve patient outcomes. Few programs, however, use data-driven methods to guide program evaluation and implementation, limiting their effectiveness, as well as the scope of findings in the research literature.

Purpose: To address these gaps, we describe an innovative and rigorous evaluative research framework: the Rutgers Integrated Care Evaluation (RICE) Research Framework, designed to be tailorable across conditions and care settings.

Advancing the behavioral health workforce: An innovative integrated care and substance use disorder training model to improve outcomes for people in medically underserved communities.

Introduction: It is critical that we strengthen the ability of the behavioral health workforce to better manage the complex behavioral and physical health needs of people in medically underserved areas. Despite the knowledge that integrated care (IC) models improve patient outcomes and experience, provider satisfaction, and health care costs, educational and experiential training in IC is limited, limiting workforce capacity to deliver this care.

Method: Through the Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Rutgers University Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program (RUISTP), we partner with community-based primary care clinics to implement an interprofessional fellowship program for psychologists, social workers, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses.