Utilization of psychiatric services integrated with primary care by persons of color with HIV in the inner city

We identify the psychiatric diagnoses and utilization patterns of HIV-positive persons of color who received culturally responsive mental health services integrated into a community medical clinic. Ninety-three patients were referred and 86% (n = 80) appeared for at least one encounter. Hispanics, compared with African-Americans, and HIV patients, compared with AIDS patients, were more likely to receive psychotropic prescriptions. Patients with six or more visits were defined as high utilizers: they comprised 27.5% of the patients but used 67.3% of the services. Development of a broader range of psychiatric interventions that address diagnoses, utilization, and psychotropics will better meet these patients' needs.