Sutter Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system, has partnered with Concert Health to expand access to behavioural health services through primary care.

This collaboration, starting in January 2025, aims to make treatment more accessible, particularly in four cities in northern California.

Sutter and Concert Health will co-manage treatment for patients with depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder.

Sutter Health behavioural health service line executive Tam Nguyen said: “Supporting improved access to mental health services is one of our top priorities here at Sutter.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work alongside like-minded organisations to help increase mental health treatment capacity and offer people an option that is easy to access. Making these services a routine part of medical care has been shown to improve both outcomes and the patient experience, so we’re pleased to make this available through primary care.”

Patients in Lakeport, Crescent City, Palo Alto, and Dublin will benefit from this partnership as they will be able to connect with Concert Health's psychiatric providers within 24 to 48 hours of reporting a concern to their primary care provider.

This rapid response is designed to monitor symptoms and medications and provide evidence-based counselling interventions.

The Sutter-Concert Health collaboration is especially crucial in rural areas like Lakeport and Crescent City, where there is a notable shortage of mental health professionals.

This initiative is expected to bridge the gap in care availability for patients in these regions.

The integrated team-based model at the heart of this collaboration brings together psychiatric consultants, primary care providers and behavioural care managers.

This approach not only supports patients but also manages treatment to significantly improve clinical outcomes.

Concert Health chief medical officer Dr Anthony Sossong said: “Millions of Americans urgently need mental health support, and the demand for affordable, accessible care has never been greater.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Sutter Health to help close the gap between physical and behavioural healthcare, helping increase patients’ access to these essential services.”