Date Approved
4-20-2026
Graduate Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Nursing (D.N.P.)
Degree Program
Health Professions
First Advisor
Dianne Conrad
Second Advisor
Cheryl VerStrate
Third Advisor
Sarah Yeagley
Academic Year
2025/2026
Abstract
Introduction: Mental health issues continue to rise throughout the United States and show no sign of decline. Primary care providers are the first contact for most mental health patients and are increasingly feeling overwhelmed. The issue is exaggerated in rural settings as there are less primary care providers per capita. An organizational assessment at a rural primary care practice, identified a gap in mental health care. Literature review revealed that the Collaborative Care Model, when used with mental health patents in more populated areas, has been shown to lead to positive outcomes. The clinical question for this study is: In a rural primary care practice, will the development of a program, based on the Collaborative Care Model, be a viable option for treating mental health patients?
Methods: An organizational assessment, review of recent literature, and application of implementation frameworks, guided the creation of the program development toolkit in the years 2025 and 2026.
Results: A program development toolkit, which contains a set of at least nine different deliverables, was created using an evidenced based Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) implementation guide and was customized for the project site.
Discussion: The toolkit is a set of files that can be accessed and edited by the project site depending on future needs, scaling, and sustainability. A projected return on investment (ROI) shows that the CoCM is a viable option for providing care to mental health patients and can lead to better outcomes for both the patients and the clinic.
ScholarWorks Citation
Lamb, Heath M., "Addressing Mental Health Treatment in Primary Care with the Collaborative Care Model" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations. 82.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/dissertations/82
