CHICAGO – Nov. 20, 2024 – Northwestern Medicine, West Health, and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute have announced a new collaboration that will make accessing care to evidence-based mental health services faster and easier for primary care patients across Northwestern Medicine.

This $8.6 million multi-year initiative from West Health will establish the Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator, which will provide access to comprehensive psychiatric services for primary care practices throughout Northwestern Medicine, expanding access to mental health care and promoting earlier intervention.

“Across the United States and Chicagoland, the demand for high-quality treatments for the most common mental health conditions continues to grow,” said Sachin Patel, MD, PhD, chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern Medicine. “This collaboration with West Health will help transform mental health care by delivering efficient, effective and equitable behavioral health services to patients, while expanding access to care.”

It is estimated that more than one in five U.S. adults or 59.3 million people were living with a mental illness in 2022 and little more than half (50.6%) received treatment within the prior year.

To address the growing problem for demand in mental health services, Northwestern Medicine started its Collaborative Behavioral Health Program (CBHP) in 2018, which integrates mental health care into primary care settings to help manage population health across all generations, and scale and optimize equitable treatment for patients. Since 2018 CBHP has expanded and now is available to patients who are seen in any of the 75 different primary care locations across the NM System.

The success and recent expansion of CBHP has led to West Health collaborating with Northwestern Medicine and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute to increase utilization of the program and help facilitate expansion of similar programs across the United States.

“We believe in taking bold moves and this collaboration could be transformative,” said Shelley Lyford, CEO and Chair, West Health, which includes the West Health Institute and Gary and Mary West Foundation, which have funded and helped shape more than $500 million in initiatives that lower healthcare costs and improve aging in America. “We will leverage the unique resources, technologies, capabilities and expertise of each organization and design a robust evidenced-based care model that can be optimized across health systems and regions throughout the country.”

 "The Meadows Institute is honored to partner with Northwestern Medicine and West Health to expand access to quality mental health care,” said Andy Keller, the President and CEO, Meadows Institute. “The integrated care model is a proven, effective way to ensure people receive the treatment they need as early as possible.”

 The Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator – which is backed by national experts in primary care, psychiatry and psychology – will bring new capabilities and expertise to include patient care, technology, business development and data management to develop best practices and resources.

About Northwestern Medicine

For learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit NM.org.

About West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and West Health Institute in San Diego, and the West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs and enabling seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org.

About Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Independent and nonpartisan, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute works at the intersection of policy and programs to create equitable systemic changes so all people in Texas, the nation, and the world can obtain the health care they need. The Meadows Institute provides state and national leaders with data-driven, trusted policy and program guidance, and works to shift the focus of new investments toward early intervention for children and families, address the mental health crisis in our jails and emergency rooms, and help all people with mental health needs recover and be well. Learn more at https://mmhpi.org. 

According to a federal report, the number of adults struggling with mental illness went from about 17% in 2008 to more than 20% in 2019. That jump represents an increase of about 11 million Americans. Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 1 in 5 adults live with a mental health illness.

Funding from the Women’s Board has directly addressed this issue by allowing Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital to expand its psychotherapy and psychiatry teams. This includes the addition of roles such as a licensed clinical social worker, case manager, and a psychiatry registered nurse to provide a comprehensive program. 

With the extra staff, the hospital can treat about 800 more behavioral health patients each year.

“The need for mental health care has increased since COVID-19,” said Juliet Spelman, MD, psychiatry at Lake Forest Hospital. “There are resources in and near downtown Chicago, but there aren’t as many psychiatrists in Lake County. So, we’re able to reach patients in Lake County and northern Cook County who need help, and our team is growing. The more providers we have, the more patients we can serve.”

Dr. Spelman says the expansion of case management has been crucial in providing care that extends beyond hospital walls.

“Our case manager can get people referrals for housing, financial, or legal help,” said Dr. Spelman. “Just touching base with patients to make sure they’re not lacking any social support. We were able to hire her because of the generosity of the Women’s Board.”

Over the past two years, Lake Forest Hospital has also launched a neuropsychiatry team and expanded access to mental health screening and resources in both primary and specialty outpatient settings. Investments in behavioral health care, like those from the Women’s Board, will continue to connect patients with the behavioral health care they need and help fight the stigma of mental health.

“With the continual increase of behavioral health needs across the area, the Women’s Board responded to raise funds to help grow the program at Lake Forest Hospital,” explained Ellen Verlen, Chairperson. “Support from the additional staff members has allowed for more patients to receive care and treatment.”

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.