Collaborative Care Model

Over the past decade, the integration of behavioral health and general medical services has been shown to improve patient outcomes, save money, and reduce stigma related to mental health. Significant research spanning three decades has identified one model – the Collaborative Care Model – in particular, as being effective and efficient in delivering integrated care.

The report Dissemination of Integrated Care Within Adult Primary Care Settings: The Collaborative Care Model (PDF), developed jointly by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine (APM), reviews the current evidence-base for the Collaborative Care Model, essential implementation elements with detailed examples, lessons learned by those who have implemented the model, and recommendations for how to advance its use to better meet the whole health needs people with mental health conditions.