Spectrum Healthcare Offers an Innovative Approach to Meeting Individuals’ Needs
Founded in October 1965, Spectrum Healthcare Group (Spectrum) began as a single behavioral health clinic. It has since grown into a robust healthcare system dedicated to Arizona’s population. In addition to traditional outpatient behavioral health services, Spectrum’s service array now includes fully structurally integrated clinics, primary care, pain management, crisis response, residential treatment, medication-assisted treatment, work adjustment training, and more, statewide. In addition, Spectrum has launched its new and innovative AnywhereCare model.
Developed in response to Arizona communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Spectrum’s AnywhereCare services provide the full array of physical and behavioral outpatient services … you guessed it: anywhere. This might look like care management or psychiatry in the home, or vaccine administration in a congregate setting. This has looked like pop-up clinics in rural areas, and behavior coaching in foster homes. AnywhereCare teams have gone grocery shopping with patients and helped with job applications. Spectrum does not relegate AnywhereCare services to a specified list, or a specific population, but instead encourages Spectrum’s teams to look at each visit through a whole-health lens and prioritize needs. The model has redesigned care delivery, pivoting based on client needs and preferences. At each visit, the needs of the whole person (physical, behavioral, technological, and social determinants of health) are assessed.
The AnywhereCare program is staffed with highly flexible and compassionate responders who are cross-trained in behavioral and physical health needs and dispatched into communities. Additionally, this model places a strong emphasis on the triage of needs and available community resources. Responders rely heavily on technology to bring the full continuum of Spectrum’s services to the patient, anywhere.
AnywhereCare is open to all Arizona residents, pediatric through geriatric. Spectrum does not require a specific payer source, and has opportunities available for those under and/or uninsured. This service delivery model has been particularly useful for homebound individuals, and those living with a serious mental illness, homelessness, or developmental disability.
Spectrum has provided more than 14,000 Anywhere Care visits statewide. Of the people served, 35 percent reported they would have gone to a hospital or urgent care had it not been for their AnywhereCare visit. Additionally, 11 percent stated that they would have opted not to receive care at all had AnywhereCare not been available for them.
Spectrum developed AnywhereCare to provide a mobile COVID-19 vaccine and testing option for Arizonans. As part of this initiative, Spectrum provided more than 16,000 Covid tests, both in homes and at clinic curbs. Spectrum also hosted 260 large pop-up vaccine clinics for law enforcement, jails, colleges, group homes, and many underserved rural communities.
During that time, Spectrum identified a continued disparity in Arizona’s access to healthcare services. So as the demand for testing and vaccines decreased, Spectrum repurposed the mobile teams to take the full array of Spectrum services to the communities at large.
At Spectrum, we take our responsibility to our communities seriously and, as many people have experienced already, we take our dedication to whole health for each individual as our mission. We believe that everyone deserves to have excellent, accessible, and integrated healthcare. For mind. For body. For all of you.
Spectrum Healthcare is the first organization in Northern Arizona to offer structurally integrated healthcare. Their clinics offer individual, couples, family, and group counseling to address a variety of mental health issues. Inpatient residential care in Cottonwood for co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders is also available. In addition, Spectrum’s Work Adjustment Training Program (WAT) provides skills, training, and work opportunities for people living with mental illness. For more information visit www.specgtrumhg.org.