Across the country, mental health workforce shortages remain a significant barrier to accessing care. Population and evidence-based integrated care models hold enormous potential to augment the existing psychiatric workforce and enhance access to care for the millions who struggle with undiagnosed and untreated MH/SUD. 

The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) has proven to be the gold standard of behavioral and primary care integration. The CoCM integrates behavioral health within the primary care setting and features a primary care physician, a psychiatric consultant, and care manager working together in a coordinated effort. Enabling psychiatrists to consult on a registry of 60 to 80 patients via weekly chart review, oversight of medication and therapeutic interventions, and making clinical recommendations to the primary care physician-the CoCM multiplies the number of patients who benefit from psychiatrists’ specialized training. 

Further, because consultations between the team members can be provided remotely, the CoCM helps to address the uneven distribution of the mental health workforce and improve access to care for patients in rural and underserved areas. By identifying people early and treating them, they avoid high levels of care. The CoCM is a proven strategy to enhance the efficient use of existing clinicians.   

Despite its robust evidence base and availability of reimbursement, uptake of CoCM by primary care practices, like other integrated care models, remains low due to the up-front costs associated with implementation such as hiring and contracting expenses.  

Urge your member of Congress to support H.R.5819/S.1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act to promote the implementation of the CoCM and mitigate uptake costs. This bipartisan bill seeks to temporarily increase the Medicare payment for integrated care billing codes for 3 years and provides technical assistance to practices.