C12 - Making the Case for Collaborative Care in Policy and Practice

Monday, April 27, 2026

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM MDT

Location: Bluebird 2C

This session will equip attendees with the evidence and practical tools needed to advocate for the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) in their organizations, with payers, and at the state policy level. Participants will explore how CoCM advances the quadruple aim and gain access to key resources, including a new Collaborative Care Heatmap and state-by-state Medicaid reimbursement data. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to support implementation or expansion of CoCM in diverse settings.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the evidence base for the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and how it meets the quintuple aim of healthcare.
Examine variations in state Medicaid coverage for the Collaborative Care Model and identify potential impacts on implementation.
Collaborate with stakeholders to address implementation barriers and advocate for enhanced support for the Collaborative Care Model.

Disclosure(s):

Sarah Bernes, MPH, LMSW, MBA: No financial relationships to disclose

Virna Little, PsyD, LCSW-r, MBA, CCM, SAP: No financial relationships to disclose

Laura Leone, DSW, MSSW, LMSW : No financial relationships to disclose

Breakout Presenter(s)

Sarah Bernes, MPH, LMSW, MBA

Vice President for Health System Implementation
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
Dallas, Texas

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Slides
Virna Little, PsyD, LCSW-r, MBA, CCM, SAP

Co-Founder
Concert Health
San Diego, California

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Laura Leone, DSW, MSSW, LMSW

Senior Consultant, Practice Improvement & Consulting
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Washington, District of Columbia

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose