The New York State Collaborative Care Initiative: 2012–2014

We report on a partnership between the NYS Department of Health and Office of Mental Health that delivered the full integration of depression care into primary medical care. Called the NYS Collaborative Care Initiative (NYS-CCI), nineteen NYS academic medical centers participated. Based on principles of chronic illness care, Collaborative Care detects and manages depression in primary care using a highly prescriptive protocol (University of Washington AIMS Center website: http://uwaims.org/). Fidelity was ensured by measuring screening rates, diagnosis, enrollment, and improvement among those in treatment for 16 weeks. There was significant, progressive performance improvement in sites that served over 1 million patients over the course of the two and a half year grant. Clinics also reported satisfaction with the CC model. Based on the experience gained, we recommend a number of critical actions necessary for the successful implementation and scaling-up of CC throughout any state undertaking this endeavor.