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Abstract

The Rural Care Program is a pilot program that has been developed to integrate generalist social work practice into a primary care center. The premise of the program is to provide a holistic model of health care, with licensed masters-level social workers providing behavioral health therapeutic interventions in addition to case management, community development, and information and referral. This article describes the development and implementation process of the program, emphasizing the effectiveness of rural generalist practice in enhancing service delivery in the rural environment. This program is the result of a successful collaborative effort among the masters in social work program at California University of Pennsylvania, the Primary Care Center of Mt. Morris, the Pennsylvania State University School of Nursing, and the Staunton Farm Foundation, a family foundation providing support for nonprofits addressing the behavioral health needs within a 10 county region of southwestern Pennsylvania.

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Integrating Behavioral Health Services within a Primary Care Center in a Rural Setting

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