Path Forward Statement on the Need for Further Expansion of the Collaborative Care Model
Path Forward released a landmark analysis this week of the nationwide adoption of the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM).
The report shows a tenfold increase between 2018 to 2022 for Medicare and Medicaid and 2018 to 2023 for commercial insurance in the number of people who are receiving treatment through this proven, evidence-based method of addressing mental health needs in primary and specialty care settings.
As the report demonstrates, we have made significant strides in improving access to desperately needed behavioral health through CoCM since 2018.
However, that same analysis reveals that significant gaps in coverage remain. In 2023, an estimated 100,000 people (72 commercially insured individuals out of 100,000) were receiving care through CoCM nationwide. In particular, rural areas that have historically lacked the appropriate number of behavioral health care professionals lag behind the rest of the country in the adoption of CoCM.
We must seize available opportunities to further expand access to CoCM. That is why the undersigned strongly support passage of the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act, commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will improve access to timely, effective behavioral health services in primary care settings and help close the coverage gap.
Statements of Support from Path Forward
“The Collaborative Care Model is an evidence-based, effective, and innovative method of delivering high-quality mental health care to patients in the primary care setting who need it. Given the ongoing mental health crisis, the opioid epidemic and high rates of suicide, the widespread implementation of this model is now more essential than ever to reach the growing number of Americans in need of quality mental health services. Simply stated, the more we adopt the Collaborative Care Model, the more patients can access it, and the more lives we will save.”
— Marketa M. Wills, MD, MBA, CEO, American Psychiatric Association
“We can’t solve what we can’t see. This map brings much-needed clarity to where Collaborative Care is being delivered—and where urgent gaps remain. With this data in hand, we can align policy, philanthropic funding, and health system implementation to bring equitable mental health care to scale across the country.”
— Celine Coggins, PhD, CEO, The Goodness Web
“If every American suffering from depression had access to the Collaborative Care Model, we estimate that approximately 14,000 lives could be saved each year from suicide. The Collaborative Care Model is the gold standard for delivering mental health in primary care settings because mental health is, at its core, simply a very important part of health. This model is the single most impactful step we can take to get upstream, before tragedy strikes, to make Americans healthy again.”
— Andy Keller, President and CEO, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
“Investing in the Collaborative Care Model within primary care is essential for employers committed to supporting working families. Research shows that behavioral health screening and care integrated into primary care, not only improve outcomes but reduces costs. It also ensures that employees and their family members receive timely, coordinated support that keeps them healthy, engaged, and productive.”
— Shawn Gremminger, President and CEO, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions
“It often takes a decade from the first signs of mental health symptoms to receiving a diagnosis. That’s 10 years when individuals and families may be living with pain, confusion, and no clear path forward. The Collaborative Care Model helps close that gap — connecting people to support sooner and reminding them they’re not alone. It’s a meaningful way to expand access to care and offer help when and where people need it most.”
— Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., CEO, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
“We’ve long known that providing mental health screening and treatment in primary care settings provides opportunities to improve health outcomes. This important new study reinforces this truth and illustrates that implementation of the Collaborative Care Model is growing. As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month throughout May, let’s acknowledge that plenty of room for growth remains.”
— Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO, National Council for Mental Wellbeing