The PHQ-9 is a depression scale consisting of nine questions. The PHQ-9 can be used as a tool for diagnosing depression as well as for monitoring the patient’s treatment.

The workflow to support integrated behavioral health care models such as Collaborative Care is a data-driven process, requiring the care team to actively use a caseload management tool. It is important that these tools are used in conjunction with the practice’s electronic health record (EHR) if they are not already built into it.

A substantial body of evidence for Collaborative Care has emerged since its development at the University of Washington in the 1990s. Beginning with the seminal IMPACT Trial published in 2002, more than ninety randomized controlled trials and several meta-analyses show that Collaborative Care (CoCM) is more effective than usual care for patients with depression, anxiety, and other behavioral health conditions.

The authors present examples of programs educating psychiatry residents to work in integrated healthcare settings.

Use this template to introduce your Collaborative Care team to patients.

The Clinic Implementation Team Lead facilitates implementation and leads the Clinic Implementation Team (CIT). The CIT is created when a medical practice is planning to implement Collaborative Care. The document below outlines the CIT Leads’ key responsibilities, as well as the personal and professional characteristics that are most desirable in this role.

Our readiness checklist will help you assess if your practice is ready to implement Collaborative Care.Last Updated: 1/6/22

A shared organizational vision is a concrete way for team members within an organization to understand the purpose of a program. A powerful vision statement will stretch expectations and professional aspirations while helping staff step outside of their comfort zone. Visioning is an important process that provides focus and enables Collaborative Care (CoCM) teams to build a shared understanding of their common purpose and future goals.

There are different ways to bill for integrated behavioral health care depending on your model and staffing. This handout gives a brief overview of basic CPT and Medicare billing codes for behavioral health integration and Collaborative Care.

The Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2) is used by some clinicians and organizations to screen patients for undiagnosed depression.

The AIMS Caseload Tracker is a secure web-based registry for managing behavioral health caseloads in integrated care settings. It is used alongside your Electronic Health Record to provide powerful tracking and reporting functions:

Compared to usual care, Collaborative Care is shown to increase the effectiveness of depression treatment and lower total healthcare costs. This handout outlines those differences using data from the IMPACT trial.Updated 1/2/19

A clinical rotation curriculum introducing a senior resident to the role of Psychiatric Consultant in a Collaborative Care team.

Educating your patients about Collaborative Care and what they can expect from it is crucial to having Collaborative Care work well. Patient engagement and ownership of their care plan are key aspects of Patient-Centered Team Care, one of the five principles of Collaborative Care. Use this template to introduce your Collaborative Care team in Spanish to patients.

The Primary Care Provider (PCP) Champion plays a key role on the Clinic Implementation Team (CIT). The CIT is created when a medical practice is planning to implement Collaborative Care. This document outlines the PCP Champion’s key responsibilities with the team and their PCP colleagues, as well as the personal and professional characteristics that are …