Meadows Institute partners with West Health and Northwestern Medicine to expand Collaborative Care

As a key partner of Path Forward, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute is transforming mental health care delivery. With the launch of the Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator—a collaboration between the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, West Health, and Northwestern Medicine—mental health care in the United States is taking a transformative step forward. This partnership aims to increase access to high-quality behavioral health care in primary care settings by integrating the Collaborative Care Model into the Northwestern Medicine system.

With 1 in 5 Americans struggling with mental health needs, there has never been a more critical time to embrace innovative solutions. Backed by a $1.9 million investment from West Health, the Meadows Institute is working to expand mental health care for more than 350,000 individuals in the Northwestern Medicine system. By embedding mental health care into primary care practices, patients can receive physical and mental health care in the same location—often with the same doctor—through the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM).

CoCM uses a team-based approach, that equips primary care physicians and pediatricians with support from behavioral health managers and psychiatric consultants. CoCM has consistently ensured early detection and treatment of mental health conditions, helping individuals receive the care they need before conditions reach crisis levels. The model also addresses the workforce shortages in behavioral healthcare by enabling psychiatric consultants to treat eight times as many patients as traditional specialty care.

The success of CoCM is supported by nearly 100 clinical trials spanning decades, demonstrating its effectiveness across diverse populations, including all income levels, races, and genders. Not only does the model improve patient outcomes, but it also reduces health care costs by delivering earlier and more efficient care.

The Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator marks a significant shift in mental health care delivery, particularly in the Chicagoland area. Historically, mental health care in the U.S. has relied heavily on outpatient therapy and medication, often leading to fragmented care and worsening outcomes. By making early detection and treatment in primary care the standard of care, Northwestern Medicine is setting a new precedent that offers a scalable and sustainable solution to one of the most pressing health care crises of our time.

This initiative is poised to be a proof of concept for transforming behavioral health care delivery nationwide by demonstrating that high-quality, accessible care can be integrated throughout health systems across the United States. As CoCM grows and reaches more Americans, initiatives like this will pave the way for a future where behavioral health care is no longer a luxury but a standard of care in every community.