Better mental health support through collaborative care

A stronger approach to mental health support

Millions of Americans struggle with mental health and substance use issues, and quality treatment can often be expensive and hard to find. This is where the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) makes an impact. It’s an integrated approach that brings a medical team together to focus on a person’s whole health, making it easier for people to access the care they need.

Managing mental health in the workplace

Mental health conditions impact all areas of life, including work. Consider these statistics:

• 76% of employees in the U.S. experienced at least one symptom of a mental health condition in the last two years.
• Unresolved depression contributes to a 35% reduction in productivity and costs the U.S. economy $210.5 billion annually.
• 81% of workers reported that they would seek employers who support mental health in the future.

Unfortunately, the standard healthcare model often presents barriers, such as requiring referrals or self-research to find mental health providers and the existing shortage of mental health professionals. Collaborative care helps to address these barriers, ensuring employees receive the support they need.

What is collaborative care?

Imagine going to your primary care provider and receiving treatment for arthritis and anxiety during the same visit – that’s collaborative care. The CoCM model brings together primary care providers, behavioral health care managers, and psychiatric consultants to care for a patient's whole health. In this patient-centered model, the team collaborates by sharing information, developing a unified treatment plan, and keeping each other updated on the patient's progress.

The core members of the collaborative care team include:

• Primary Care Providers: Oversee a patient's general health
• Behavioral Health Care Managers: Assist with mental health concerns and coordinate care
• Psychiatric Consultants: Provide specialized input and guidance to the primary care team

By combining their expertise, the collaborative care team treats the whole person, not just symptoms. Over the last ten years, studies have shown that integrating behavioral health with primary care services improves outcomes for patients, saves money, and reduces some of the stigma that surrounds mental health. In fact, over 80 randomized trials have demonstrated that collaborative care is more effective than standard care.

How employers can support employees’ mental health

Employers have an important role in ensuring employees have access to providers who practice collaborative care. At One Medical, our integrated collaborative care program offers seamless support for both physical and mental health. By prioritizing your team’s overall well-being, you can help employees be healthier and more productive — a benefit for everyone.

Learn more about how One Medical can help your employees to stay healthy here.