Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (04/28/26) Bauer, Amy M.; Payn, Betsy; LePoire, Erin; et al.

Researchers report that the Community-based Integrated Care Fellowship is an effective and scalable model for strengthening the psychiatric workforce, increasing provider skills, and supporting meaningful practice change in Collaborative Care. To evaluate this, the program implemented a part-time, interprofessional continuing education model for psychiatrists and advanced practice psychiatric providers across Washington state, built around online didactics, live skills workshops, a quality-improvement learning collaborative, and individualized mentorship, all grounded in adult-learning principles. Over the first five years, 60 fellows — most practicing in mental-health shortage areas — completed the program, collectively supporting hundreds of care managers and primary care providers. The researchers found that attendance remained high, didactics were rated as high-quality and relevant, and fellows showed significant gains in 49 of 53 assessed clinical, systems, and quality-improvement skills, though their attitudes did not change. Practice behaviors shifted as well: while most had never reviewed aggregate patient data at baseline, nearly half were doing so at least quarterly by graduation, and graduates went on to launch at least eight new Collaborative Care programs in rural settings. "This program demonstrates how active learning strategies can be utilized to stimulate clinical practice change," the researchers conclude. "Moreover, its structure serves as a model for other psychiatric subspecialties, such as geriatrics or addictions, where workforce development targeting providers in practice may be particularly valuable."

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