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Collaborative Care Model Improves Access and Outcomes for Members with Mental Health Needs

Collaborative Care Model Improves Access and Outcomes for Members with Mental Health Needs

Behavioral Health Insights
By Micah Hoffman, MD, DABPN, FAPA, QME, CIME, CHCQM
AllMed Behavioral Health Medical Director

Mental and behavioral health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse affect millions of Americans every year, taking a heavy emotional, physical, and economic toll. These conditions are deeply tied to physical well-being—for example, people with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population, and people with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely to develop these conditions.1 Despite the clear connection, the United States health care system has long separated physical health treatment from mental health care…