Enhancing Behavioral Health Care: Connie’s Integration with TherapyNotes

By Bethany Mifsud 

The Growing Need for Behavioral Health Data Integration 

According to a national survey, 68% of adults with behavioral health conditions have co-occurring medical issues, highlighting the need for integrated care.  

And while Connecticut ranks second in the nation for overall mental health and well-being - reflecting strong access to care - not all behavioral health providers participate in a health information exchange (HIE). This reveals a disconnect within the healthcare ecosystem, as a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association proves the majority of these providers believe an HIE improves care and communication.  

Connie, Connecticut’s designated HIE, has worked with the provider community through various forums and collaborations to expand the sharing of behavioral health data and increase access to comprehensive medical records. With its sights set on improved care coordination and patient outcomes, Connie is committed to patient empowerment and ensuring confidentiality while it makes seamless, secure data exchange possible for the broader behavioral health community.   

These efforts have been bolstered by Connie’s integration with TherapyNotes, a widely used electronic medical record (EMR) platform for behavioral health providers. This partnership enhances data exchange while maintaining robust privacy protections, empowering providers to deliver more informed, patient-centered care. 

Addressing Key Challenges in Behavioral Health Data Sharing 

• Patient Consent  

In line with HIPAA and consistent with consent practices across most healthcare organizations in the state, Connecticut operates under an opt-out model for health information exchange. This means data can be shared for HIPAA-compliant purposes unless a patient explicitly chooses not to participate. However, HIPAA is not the only regulatory consideration. Connecticut has additional, more stringent state laws governing behavioral health data sharing, which require specific consent processes that vary by provider type. 

Connie recognizes these complexities and has worked thoughtfully with TherapyNotes to integrate the EMR in a way that enables affirmative consent management. By facilitating clear consent workflows, Connie gives patients the ability to make informed decisions about sharing their behavioral healthcare data in a secure and confidential manner.  This integration allows clinicians to record a patient’s affirmative consent (when required) before sending behavioral healthcare information, offering an alternative to opting out entirely—thereby ensuring the patient’s entire care team has access to a full medical history.    

• Privacy and Consent Concerns 

Behavioral health data is highly sensitive and requires careful handling to protect patient privacy.  Connie’s IT infrastructure meets the strictest third-party security certifications, aligning with industry-leading privacy and security standards – the same used to assess the nation’s largest healthcare and technology organizations.   

• Interoperability Barriers 

Many behavioral health providers depend on paper records or non-connected EMR systems, making it challenging to coordinate care with other providers. Without seamless data exchange, treatment decisions may lack crucial medical context. 

• Limited Access to Whole-Person Care 

When behavioral health data is siloed, providers lack insight into coexisting medical conditions, hospital visits and medication histories. HIE integration promotes a more holistic approach to patient care, enabling all connected providers to make better-informed treatment decisions. 

How Connie’s TherapyNotes Integration Works 

Connie’s integration with TherapyNotes simplifies behavioral health data exchange without creating additional administrative burdens or compromising privacy and security. Here’s how it works: 

• TherapyNotes users can securely connect with Connie, enabling data exchange without disrupting existing workflows. 

• Connie is HITRUST-certified, ensuring compliance with HIPAA and state regulations. Critical health information is securely shared with patients' care teams, so patients get the benefit of coordinated care. 

• TherapyNotes allows providers to capture affirmative consent (if required by Connecticut state law), helping behavioral health professionals comply with applicable laws. Patients and providers control when data is shared. 

  
  

• The Broader Impact on Behavioral Health Interoperability 

Connie’s TherapyNotes integration reflects a growing national trend toward greater interoperability in behavioral health. TherapyNotes has collaborated with other HIEs, including those in Maryland and North Carolina, to enhance data-sharing capabilities. This model aligns with other successful EMR integrations, demonstrating how standardized approaches can improve data exchange across various healthcare settings. 

• What’s Next? 

Connie continues to expand its integrations, working with additional EMRs to further enhance behavioral health data exchange. By providing real-time notifications, access to patient histories, and seamless provider communication, Connie helps behavioral health professionals deliver more coordinated, effective care. Practices connected to Connie may benefit from preventing medication errors, avoiding duplicative tests, and speeding up treatment decisions.   

TherapyNotes users in Connecticut now have the capability to unlock a more holistic approach to patient care and reduce administrative burdens, all while ensuring privacy and compliance. To learn more about how to get started on integration to improve patient care, click here.