New MMA “Mental Health Resource Guide” Empowers Physicians with Tools to Connect Patients to Mental Health Services

December 7, 2023

The MMA has launched a “Mental Health Resource Guide for Physicians” on its website, which is designed to provide physicians with tools to better connect patients with mental health services, including substance use disorder services, across Minnesota. 

The guide includes: 

• A free search tool for mental health services 

• A free psychiatric assistance hotline 

• Free training and education (CME-approved) resources to build confidence 

• Instructions on how to better integrate mental health services in your clinic 

• Tools to connect boarding patients to appropriate services, and 

• Resources to share with your patients. 

Several Minnesota medical societies and mental health advocacy organizations provided a formal review and endorsement of the guide, including: 

• The Minnesota Psychiatric Society (MPS) 

• The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) 

• The Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (MNACEP), and 

• The National Alliance on Mental Illness – Minnesota (NAMI Minnesota) 

In addition to posting the guide on its website, the MMA has created links to printable copies of the guide for physicians and patients. 

The MMA’s creation of the Mental Health Resource Guide for Physicians is one of several initiatives the MMA is pursuing to reduce the incidence of emergency department boarding of patients with psychiatric diagnoses. By connecting patients to mental health services in a timely manner, physicians of all specialties can help patients manage their symptoms and reduce the risk of mental health crises. Moreover, by providing patients and their families with education on mental health crisis support services in advance, physicians of all specialties can empower families to seek crisis services outside of emergency departments when appropriate.  

If you have any questions regarding the guide or the MMA’s work on emergency department boarding, contact Adrian Uphoff, health policy analyst.