Collaborative care model

At Blue Shield, we collaborate with experts at the University of Washington’s Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions (AIMS) Center to assist healthcare providers in implementing integrated models of care. This includes weekly ongoing consultation covering workflow design, billing structures, role training, sustainment strategies, electronic health record (EHR) integration, financial modeling, and more. We believe that Integrated Care should be a standard of care and are invested in supporting its expansion to all Californians.

The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM), developed by the University of Washington’s AIMS Center, is an evidence-based, team-driven approach to integrating mental health into primary care settings. Grounded in chronic illness care principles, it systematically tracks patients—often via registries—to monitor treatment progress using measurement-based care. 

CoCM embeds a Behavioral Health Care Manager within primary care, who delivers brief psychosocial interventions and coordinates with a Psychiatric Consultant through regular case reviews to tailor treatment plans. The primary care provider remains central—diagnosing, prescribing, and orchestrating care—while patients actively engage in goal setting and symptom monitoring. 

CoCM empowers diverse care teams to effectively address mental health at scale within the primary care setting.

We know that Integrated Care does not replace direct behavioral health services. We also know a large portion of behavioral health services are provided in outpatient medical settings.

AIMS Center document resources

 Why practice Collaborative Care (PDF, 192 KB)

Collaborative care is beneficial to primary care providers and their patients, offering enhanced medical care and access to psychiatry experts, as well as helping with challenging patient cases and team collaboration.

 Collaborative Care compared to usual care (PDF, 181 KB)

Read about a study that compared collaborative care to “usual care.”

 How to evaluate your team’s readiness to launch Collaborative Care (PDF, 190 KB)

Review the questions and select resources that can help you determine whether your practice is ready to launch Collaborative Care or update your current integrated care strategies.

Collaborative Care Model training opportunities sponsored by Blue Shield of California

 Training Opportunities available to Blue Shield network practitioners (PDF, 366 KB)

 AIMS Center Collaborative Care Implementation Guide (PDF, 819 KB)

Additional resources

 Milliman American Psychological Association Report (PDF, 551 KB)

Read about the economic impact of integrated medical-behavioral healthcare -  Implications for psychiatry.

 Medicare Learning Center Update (PDF, 2.8 MB)

Read about the approach Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken regarding the integration of behavioral health services and reimbursement.