NURS FPX 4065 Assessment 3 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4065 Patient-Centered Care Coordination

Prof. Name

Date

Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Hello, my name is Elizabeth, and I am pleased to share insights into the critical role of care coordination in mental health. I currently serve as a care coordinator at the Longevity Center, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals with mental health conditions through education, advocacy, and access to essential services.

Agenda

This presentation reviews the ethical and policy dimensions that influence care coordination in mental health services at the Longevity Center. It underscores the role of multidisciplinary care teams, relevant policies such as the Baker Act and HIPAA, and the ethical framework outlined in the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Ethical challenges—such as equitable access, resource limitations, and cultural considerations—are analyzed, alongside strategies for addressing disparities through collaborative community partnerships and sustainable care delivery models.

Significance of Care Coordination in Chronic Disease Management

At the Longevity Center, care coordination plays a pivotal role in addressing the needs of individuals with chronic mental health conditions. Effective coordination ensures that patients receive timely, appropriate, and continuous care across different healthcare domains. According to Bury et al. (2022), fragmented services often result in worsening symptoms, frequent psychiatric crises, and increased healthcare costs.

In Florida alone, approximately 2.8 million adults are affected by mental health conditions, with nearly 41% reporting symptoms of depression in 2021 (National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI], n.d.). These statistics highlight the necessity for comprehensive coordination of services, as inadequate integration directly impacts treatment outcomes. At the Longevity Center, coordinated care fosters better access to both medical and community-based resources, enhancing patient outcomes and overall quality of life.

Governmental Policies’ Effect on Care Coordination

The Longevity Center operates within the framework of both state and federal mental health policies.

Community-based organizations, such as NAMI Florida, complement these policies by offering peer support, education, and navigation services, which strengthen the care model at the Longevity Center.

Ethical Questions or Dilemmas for Care Coordination

National Policy Provision

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded healthcare access and emphasized integrated, cost-effective care. However, ethical dilemmas arise when financial constraints or standardized care pathways conflict with patient autonomy (Pincus & Fleet, 2022). Mental health care often requires highly individualized treatment, but value-based models can pressure providers to prioritize cost-efficiency over personalization (Braun et al., 2023).

State Provision Policy

Florida’s Medicaid behavioral health programs support low-income populations but face challenges such as long wait times, provider shortages, and administrative hurdles. These issues compromise beneficence and justice, as vulnerable patients may experience delayed treatment or reduced access to care (Patel et al., 2025). At the Longevity Center, these limitations lead to service fragmentation and disparities when compared to private insurance coverage.

Local Provision Policy

Community-based initiatives, including those supported by NAMI Florida, offer valuable mental health services such as peer counseling, educational programs, and crisis resources. However, ethical issues arise when demand surpasses available capacity, raising concerns of justice and fairness in resource allocation (Braun et al., 2023). At the Longevity Center, inconsistent funding further exacerbates these challenges, undermining the trust patients place in local support systems.

Impact of the Code of Ethics for Nurses

The ANA Code of Ethics provides guiding principles that are fundamental in mental health care coordination.

The principles of beneficence, justice, autonomy, and non-maleficence serve as the ethical backbone of practice. At the Longevity Center, they ensure fairness in access to services, foster trust between patients and providers, and promote long-term engagement in treatment (Braun et al., 2023).

Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) significantly shape patient outcomes at the Longevity Center. Factors such as financial instability, housing insecurity, transportation barriers, and food insecurity limit patients’ ability to access consistent care. These inequities compromise the ethical principle of justice by creating uneven healthcare experiences.

The ANA Code of Ethics requires nurses to address such inequities by tailoring interventions to each patient’s unique circumstances (ANA, 2025). At the Longevity Center, addressing SDOH improves treatment adherence, fosters cultural sensitivity, and promotes equitable health outcomes.

Recommendations for Support and Collaboration

To strengthen ethical and policy-driven care coordination at the Longevity Center, the following strategies are recommended:

1. Enhanced Community Partnerships: Collaboration with organizations like NAMI Florida and the Mental Health Association of Central Florida (MHACF) to expand access to education, counseling, and affordable care resources.
2. Policy Advocacy: Nurses should engage in health policy reform initiatives to address systemic inequities and promote funding for mental health programs.
3. Culturally Sensitive Practices: Training staff in culturally competent care to reduce disparities among diverse populations.
4. Sustainable Funding Models: Securing consistent funding to prevent service fragmentation and ensure continuity of care.

By upholding the ANA Code of Ethics and fostering collaboration, nurses at the Longevity Center can strengthen patient-centered care and promote equitable mental health services.

Conclusion

Ethical and policy factors are central to the success of coordinated mental health care. At the Longevity Center, challenges such as resource shortages, fragmented systems, and social inequities can be mitigated through adherence to the ANA Code of Ethics, strategic partnerships, and sustainable policy reforms. Nurses remain key advocates for justice, fairness, and culturally sensitive practices, ensuring that patients receive compassionate and equitable care.

References

ANA. (2025). Code of ethics for nurses. American Nurses Association. https://codeofethics.ana.org/home

Braun, E., Scholten, M., & Vollmann, J. (2023). Assisted suicide and the discrimination argument: Can people with mental illness fulfill beneficence‐ and autonomy‐based eligibility criteria? Bioethics, 38(1), 61–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13243

NURS FPX 4065 Assessment 3 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Bury, D., Hendrick, D., Smith, T., Metcalf, J., & Drake, R. E. (2022). The psychiatric nurse care coordinator on a multi-disciplinary, community mental health treatment team. Community Mental Health Journal, 58(7), 1354–1360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-022-00945-7

Florida Department of Children and Families. (2024). Baker act | Florida DCF. https://www.myflfamilies.com/crisis-services/baker-act

MHACF. (2025). About us. Mental Health Association of Central Florida. https://mhacf.org/learn-more/

NAMI Florida. (2025). Mission. National Alliance on Mental Illness Florida. https://namiflorida.org/about-nami-florida/mission/

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Mental health in Florida. https://www.nami.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FloridaStateFactSheet.pdf

Patel, R., Baser, O., Waters, H. C., Huang, D., Morrissey, L., Rodchenko, K., & Samayoa, G. (2025). Open access to antipsychotics in state medicaid programs: Effect on healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with serious mental illness. Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research, 12(1), 222–229. https://doi.org/10.36469/001c.137909

NURS FPX 4065 Assessment 3 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Pincus, H. A., & Fleet, A. (2022). Value-based payment and behavioral health. JAMA Psychiatry, 80(1), 6–8. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.3538

Subbian, V., Galvin, H. K., Petersen, C., & Solomonides, A. (2021). Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) in mental health informatics. In Health Informatics (pp. 479–503). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70558-9_18