As the pandemic heightens the demand for mental healthcare, experts are pushing for the adoption of scalable, evidence-based integrated care models like Collaborative Care. An article in Psychiatric News states that "CoCM is the only model that bundles all integrated services - including the psychiatric case review and recommendations - and is reimbursed by insurance; it is also the model with the most extensive evidence base for improved outcomes."
This updated resource from the AIMS Center guides organizations through developing thoughtful and clear suicide prevention protocols in primary care settings. The document includes principles to consider, essential elements of a suicide prevention protocol, and supporting resources, toolkits, and handouts to aid staff and providers in their response plans.
A new study published in Health Affairs collected data on depression outcomes from 135 primary care clinics with Collaborative Care programs. This study is the largest survey of Collaborative Care programs to date, and shows that clinics receiving ongoing implementation support, such as coaching from the AIMS Center, are almost twice as likely to achieve better depression outcomes.
The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique (and reinforces long-standing) barriers to mental health access; yet, the demand for mental health services continues to increase. The Collaborative Care model (CoCM) offers a way to more efficiently leverage mental health expertise over broader service areas and patient populations, while utilizing the clinical reach and established telemedicine programs in primary care settings. The article below, published in JAMA Psychiatry, further outlines the needs for and benefits of CoCM in the COVID-19 era.
Read more on the proven effectiveness of Collaborative Care in rural primary clinics serving primarily AI/AN patients.
AIMS Co-Director Dr. Anna Ratzliff is quoted on the importance of treating opioid use disorder and mental health issues concurrently.
Do you have questions about Collaborative Care? The AIMS Center hosts two monthly Office Hour calls via Zoom, where attendees can ask seasoned coaches and experts questions. Each call features two different focus areas:
Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH discusses integrated care and compares two prominent models, the Collaborative Care model and the Behavioral Health Consultant model (BHC). BHC is a rapid access model in which patients are generally seen the same day and lasts about three sessions, whereas Collaborative Care addresses chronic mental health conditions like depression and anxiety that require longer-term treatment to ensure patients don't fall through the cracks or relapse. These two models originated from two different focus areas - Clinical and Research - and each has its own strengths.