Issue 3
 

This issue of Behavioral Health Integration Resource Roundup brings you a curated selection of the latest research, upcoming events, and practical tools to support behavioral health integration.
 
 

Research Highlights
 

Clinical Outcomes of a Tech-Enabled Perinatal Collaborative Care Program To Treat Depression and Anxiety

April 2026


This study from a Massachusetts OB/GYN practice offers a useful data point on expanding the perinatal behavioral health workforce. The practice embedded a telehealth-based Collaborative Care program into perinatal care in which they paired certified coaches alongside licensed therapists with telehealth-based delivery and monthly symptom monitoring. The results are a strong proof point for scalable, tech-enabled integration that extends the reach of a clinical team. Among patients who screened positive for depression or anxiety, 80% enrolled in the program and 70% completed intake within a week. Symptom remission occurred in as few as eight sessions with a therapist and nine sessions with a certified coach, with about 30% of patients achieving remission within three to four months. For practices exploring perinatal behavioral health integration or facing therapist shortages, this is an encouraging case that offers both a replicable model and encouraging outcome data.


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Innovations in Developing Behavioral Health Care Managers Within Collaborative Care Programs

April 2026


Intensive, structured supervision can be a powerful lever for building behavioral health care manager (BHCM) competency. This paper describes a three-pronged virtual model implemented at an academic medical center: weekly team consultation meetings with psychologists and psychiatrists, weekly group supervision focused on case formulation and short-term skill implementation, and a joint weekly seminar covering topics such as behavioral activation and culturally responsive care. Together, these touch points guarantee BHCMs at least three hours of weekly contact with doctoral-level supervisors plus ad hoc curbside consultation, creating space for both routine caseload review and deeper engagement with complex patient cases.


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Training the Collaborative Care Behavioral Health Care Manager and a Child Psychiatrist's Role

March 2026


The behavioral health care manager (BHCM) is one of the most significant, and least resourced, roles in Collaborative Care. This report from North Carolina’s Psychiatry Access Line offers a practical training model worth replicating. Across 20 BHCMs in seven community pediatric practices, the program combined self-paced online learning, live virtual sessions, and biweekly case-based learning collaboratives. BHCMs reported feeling well-trained and supported, and the program relied almost entirely on publicly available resources demonstrating that core BHCM competencies can be built quickly and systematically, with ongoing mastery developed through regular case review.


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New Career Opportunity for Undergraduate Psychology Majors: Introducing the Behavioral Health Support Specialist

March 2026


More than 130,000 students graduate with undergraduate psychology degrees each year, yet most do not go on to work directly in behavioral health. This article introduces a new role, the Behavioral Health Support Specialists, designed to bring this population into the workforce through a competency-based training model embedded in existing four-year psychology programs. The framework equips bachelor-level graduates with intervention delivery skills and supervised internship experience, drawing on existing research and international models. A case example from a university school of psychology illustrates how the model works in practice.


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Resources & Tools


  • Free E-Learning for CoCM Teams - In partnership with West Health and Northwestern Medicine, the Meadows Institute launched a free, asynchronous, e-learning program designed for every member of the Collaborative Care team. Separate courses are available for behavioral health care managers, primary care clinicians, psychiatric consultants, and billing staff. Courses are free to enroll, self-paced, and available now! 


  • Addressing the Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage - A recent white paper from the Meadows Institute draws on interviews with 11 pioneering organizations to identify strategies for building a behavioral health workforce that is accessible, equitable, and representative of the communities it serves. This is a practical read for policymakers and health system leaders thinking about long-term workforce planning.



  • Kentucky Enacts Collaborative Care Reimbursement Law - Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed HB 178 into law last month, formally defining the Collaborative Care model in state statute and establishing reimbursement and coverage requirements for Collaborative Care services. For organizations operating in Kentucky or tracking state-level policy, this is a meaningful development worth following.


  • Forecasted RFP for SAMHSA PIPBHC State Grants - SAMHSA has posted a forecasted Request for Proposals for new Promoting the Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care (PIPBHC) state grants. The Formal Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has not yet been released, but eligible state agencies should begin preparing and monitor Grants.gov for the official NOFO.


 

Events


  • May 6-7 | Virtual

Integrated Behavioral Health in Action: Clinical, Operational, and Financial Solutions

Join CFHA for a national virtual convening focused on the clinical, operational, and financial dimensions of integrated behavioral health. This two-day conference will feature real-world innovations in workforce development, policy, and clinical service delivery. Register here.


  • May 15 | In-Person

Lighting the Way in Pediatric Mental Health Conference - Oklahoma City, OK

The Meadows Institute’s Chief Medical Officer will present on advancing collaborative care in pediatric and maternal mental health settings. Register here.


  • May 20 | Virtual

Free Panel on Collaborative Care Financial Modeling

The Meadows Institute, in partnership with the Center of Excellence for Integrated Health Solutions, is kicking off the 2026 online Collaborative Care Conversation Series with a conversation on translating integrated behavioral health financial modeling into real-world results. Join us for a dynamic panel discussion on CoCM Financial Modeling. Register today.


  • May 26 | Virtual

Free Webinar on CoCM and Planning for SBHC Implementation

The Center of Excellence for Integrated Health Solutions is hosting a webinar on how CoCM’s team-based, measurement-guided approach strengthens the integration of behavioral health services into primary care. Register today.


  • May 28 | Virtual

Free Webinar on the Business Case for CoCM

The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) is hosting a webinar on how to build a compelling business case, streamline operational processes, and leverage practical tools to support successful and sustainable program management. Register today.
 
 

Learn More

For information on Collaborative Care technical assistance and implementation, contact: CoCM Technical Assistance (TA) Team
Contact the CoCM TA Team
 
 
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