Medical Updates:
In Colorado, a new initiative is set to revolutionize the way mental health conditions and addictions are treated within primary care settings. Known as the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM), this approach is part of efforts to address the growing need for mental health and addiction care.
Under this model, mental health professionals will work alongside primary care providers in clinics, creating a team-based approach that integrates mental health care into regular primary care settings. This team includes the patient’s primary care provider, a behavioral health coordinator (care manager), and a consulting psychiatrist.
The collaborative care model is expected to lead to more integrated and comprehensive care for patients, as these team members will frequently review patient progress and update care plans to address issues like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and addictions earlier and more effectively within primary care visits. This approach eliminates the need for specialist referrals and long waits.
Starting July 1, 2025, Colorado’s Medicaid program, Health First Colorado, will cover the behind-the-scenes work of treating mental health conditions and addictions in primary care offices. Clinics must meet certain criteria to participate, such as having contracts with a Regional Accountable Entity (RAE) or Managed Care Organization (MCO), employing or contracting behavioral health care managers and psychiatric consultants, and conducting regular case review meetings between care managers and psychiatric consultants.
The aim of this model is to increase access to behavioral health services, especially in rural or underserved areas, by embedding mental health expertise into primary care. This makes treatment more accessible and helps sustain behavioral health services that might otherwise be unsustainable due to workforce or funding challenges.
Colorado is also aligning behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) care standards with the 4th Edition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) by 2027 to ensure high-quality and integrated treatment approaches.
Primary care providers are optimistic about the potential benefits of this new approach, as it promises to improve access to mental health and addiction care for Medicaid patients in Colorado.
For those interested in staying updated on this initiative and other health news, signing up means agreeing to Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and emails from Breaking Health News. Psychiatrists will be available for consultation about patients under this model. The hope is that this initiative will increase the number of patients receiving help for mental health issues and addictions, ultimately improving the overall healthcare delivery system for mental health conditions and addictions.
- In the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM), mental health professionals will collaborate with primary care providers in clinics, aiming to integrate mental health care into regular primary care settings.
- Colorado's Medicaid program, Health First Colorado, will cover the behind-the-scenes work of treating mental health conditions and addictions in primary care offices starting from July 1, 2025.
- The aim of this model is to increase access to behavioral health services, particularly in rural or underserved areas, by embedding mental health expertise into primary care.
- Colorado is aligning behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) care standards with the 4th Edition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) by 2027 for high-quality and integrated treatment approaches.
- Primary care providers are optimistic about this new approach, believing it will improve access to mental health and addiction care for Medicaid patients in Colorado, ultimately enhancing the overall healthcare delivery system for mental health conditions and addictions.
