Our approach to collaborative mental health care
The Northwestern Medicine Collaborative Behavioral Health Program is made up of an expert team of clinicians who deliver efficient, coordinated, research-supported, strategic and patient-focused mental health care through its 75+ primary care clinics. This program is based on the Collaborative Care Model, which, along with the Accelerator, aims to revolutionize the way mental health care is delivered across the country.
OVERVIEW
Collaborative care improves access, efficiency and patient outcomes.
The Collaborative Care Model brings mental health care into primary care settings, enabling psychiatrists to extend their expertise to up to 8x more patients than in traditional models, while allowing individuals to receive care in familiar environments. This approach supports early intervention, improves outcomes across age groups—including older adults— and is also effective in women’s health, student care and substance use treatment settings.
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Mental health deserves a dedicated team.
The Collaborative Care Model integrates mental health services into primary care, centering around the patient and providing support through a primary care provider, behavioral health manager, and psychiatric consultant for coordinated, effective care.
Primary Care Provider
Psychiatric Consultant
Behavioral Health Care Manager
50% of patients who are referred to specialty mental health care do not make it to any appointments. The Northwestern Medicine Collaborative Behavioral Health Program improves continuity of care by integrating mental health services directly into primary care, allowing patients to receive timely, effective support from mental healthcare professionals partnering with their primary care team.
At Northwestern Medicine, primary care providers are working together with mental health experts to effectively treat mental health concerns such as mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Patients can contact their primary care provider to get the care they need through the Collaborative Behavioral Health Program.
If you require emergency medical or mental health attention, please call 911 to access your local emergency services.
Enrollment for Northwestern Medicine patients
Do you have questions or concerns about your mental health? Contact your primary care provider to enroll in the Collaborative Behavioral Health Program today.
What to ExpectNeed a Northwestern Medicine primary care doctor?
You must have a Northwestern Medical Group primary care physician to enroll in the Collaborative Behavioral Health Program. We can help you find a physician at a location that’s convenient for you.
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"Widespread misunderstanding about psychiatric illness – and the benefits of treatment – has created barriers to integrating mental health as a core part of routine care.
This continues to create doubt about how well treatment works. Moving forward, we need a health system that identifies mental health needs without stigma and relies on strong, integrated care teams to reduce the serious impact of psychiatric illness.”
– Lisa J. Rosenthal, MD, FACLP, DFAPA
Additional Resources
Learn more about the Accelerator.
The Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator makes mental health care more accessible by integrating it into primary care through the collaborative care model.
Learn MoreInterested? Contact us to get started.
Reach out to learn more about the Accelerator's resources the Collaborative Behavioral Health Program, or Northwestern Medicine, West Health and Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute research.
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