Current healthcare system often does not consider the influence of community on the risk of behavioral problems. Specifically, members of certain types of communities are most likely to develop medical and behavioral health problems because of the lack of social capital within a community. This is particularly applicable to those communities that are the victims of intersecting inequalities. For instance, studies continue to document a positive correlation between the amount of social capital within a community and positive health outcomes (Younsi & Chakroun, 2016). Behavioral health specialists therefore have the potential of introducing the important change in terms of drawing the attention of healthcare to this relationship and encouraging healthcare specialists to empower socially disadvantaged communities and those communities that lack social capital.
Behavioral health specialists possess the needed knowledge in the field of behavioral health problems and the larger social factors that affect them. Therefore, they are capable of making the very full contribution to creating the link between healthcare system and local communities.
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It is important to note, however, that the majority of healthcare organizations have the traditional top-down management that often discourages empowerment and innovation (Bird, 2016). In addition to this, whilst the link between behavioral health and the type of community that an individual is a part of has been supported empirically, there is still the problem of economic risks associated with such disruptive innovations.
In order to overcome the above-described challenges, it might be useful to create a more egalitarian environment within healthcare organizations that would decrease the risk that top-down management brings. For instance, matrix organizational structure is the one that is the most supportive of innovations (Rowlinson, 2001). In addition to this, it might be helpful to conduct a pilot study in order to assess the effectiveness of the above-described strategy and thus minimize the risk of economic losses.
- Bird, R. (2016). Innovations in Healthcare. Cincinnati Magazine, 49(12), 96.
- Rowlinson, S. (2001). Matrix organizational structure, culture and commitment: a Hong Kong public sector case study of change. Construction Management & Economics, 19(7), 669-673.
- Younsi, M., & Chakroun, M. (2016). Does social capital determine health? Empirical evidence from MENA countries. Social Science Journal, 53(3), 371-379.
