Treatment of a whole person is becoming more recognized in medical services. CARF is keeping up with recently released field-driven accreditation standards for the Integrated Primary Care Specialty Program. Published in Section 3: Behavioral Health Core Program Standards, in the three 2026 Behavioral Health, Child and Youth Services, and Opioid Treatment Program CARF Standards Manuals, it is a holistic move and scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2026.
Integrated primary care behavioral health brings mental health, substance use, and medical services together in one team-based setting. This model improves access, reduces stigma, and addresses both physical and mental health needs at the same time.
“Healthcare has been artificially partitioned into distinct fragments,” said Michael Connolly, D.O., Chief Medical and Quality Officer, CARF International. “It is proper to consider a person’s health to include all factors that impact their health and well-being. Integrative care standards begin to move us in the right direction.”
With Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) now accredited by CARF, and assisted by PowderHorn Consulting Senior Consultants Steven Sheard and Melody Crossway, complete person health care is becoming more common and provided in communities nationwide.
Setting the Standard
When CARF creates new accreditation standards, the process includes convening an International Standards Advisory Committee (ISAC) to develop them. Afterwards, a review of the proposed standards is sought from the CARF International Advisory Council before conducting a public field review. The Integrated Primary Care Specialty Program ISAC and public field review for the Integrated Primary Care Specialty Program involved 85 stakeholders—individuals with lived experience and their family members.
The benefits of integrated primary care include:
- Improved Access – Reduces barriers to mental health care
- Enhanced Quality of Care – Treats the whole person
- Increased Efficiency – Streamlines communication between providers
- Reduced Stigma – Normalizes mental health through integration.
“The designation provides a clear way for organizations to demonstrate their successful integration efforts and commitment to high-quality patient care,”said Michael Johnson, Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health, CARF International and ISAC participant. CARF consulting can assist an organization meeting these new standards.
The standards cover the key elements required for this program, including:
- Leadership support of integrated care
- Needs assessment of the population served
- Scope of integrated care
- Integrated interdisciplinary team and planning
- Education and training for persons served and direct-service personnel
- Performance measurement and management specific to integrated care
“Even though I helped put the standards together, I would like nothing more than to see these standards become obsolete and we routinely care for people holistically, as individuals who are all special and complex.” said Dr. Connolly.
PowderHorn Consulting can help your organization pursue CARF accreditation for yours, or an associate’s Integrated Primary Care Specialty Program. If interested, reach out to Kevin Robertson, of PowderHorn Consulting, at krobert6@san.rr.com
Q & A
- Q: What is the purpose of the new CARF standards for Integrated Primary Care?
A: The new CARF standards for Integrated Primary Care are designed to support a holistic approach to health care by bringing together mental health, substance use, and medical services into a team-based setting. The goal of this model is to improve access, reduce stigma, and ensure that both physical and mental health needs are addressed, reflecting a growing recognition that treating the whole person leads to better outcomes. The standards go into effect July 1, 2026.
- Q: How were the Integrated Primary Care standards developed by CARF?
A: CARF developed these standards through a collaborative process involving an International Standards Advisory Committee (ISAC) and a public field review. The development included input from 85 stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience and their family members, ensuring the standards reflect real-world needs and perspectives.
- Q: What are some key elements required for an Integrated Primary Care program under the new CARF standards?
A: Key elements include leadership support for integrated care, assessing the needs of the population served, a clear scope of integrated services, use of an interdisciplinary team and coordinated planning, education and training for both persons served and direct-service personnel, and performance measurement and management specific to integrated care.
