Colorado Mountain Medical Now Offering Behavioral Health Services
Monday, December 30, 2019
This article was first printed in the Vail Daily on December 23, 2019.
In December, Colorado Mountain Medical, a partner of Vail Health, began offering behavioral health services in its Avon and Eagle locations. CMM added five behavioral health specialists to its practice, creating a comprehensive behavioral health team consisting of one psychiatrist, a psychologist and three licensed clinical social workers.
As the primary care provider in the Vail Valley, CMM is integrating behavioral health services into primary care visits. Primary care providers are the cornerstone of identification, diagnosis, treatment and referral for all types of health issues. In addition, CMM accepts most major health insurance and Medicare. Medicaid is also accepted by referral.
There are two types of services being offered at CMM: outpatient and integrated care.
For outpatient services, people can call CMM and speak to a care coordinator to schedule an appointment with one of the five behavioral health specialists. Same-day appointments are available. The direct phone number is 970-445-2489, ext. 3105.
For integrated care, CMM has a behavioral health provider available for “warm handoffs” to meet with patients if their primary care physician thinks this service is needed or if the patient asks for it. This allows for quick and convenient consultation with a behavioral health professional during routine doctor visits.
“The addition of both outpatient and integrated behavioral health at CMM is a huge win for our community,” said Chris Lindley, executive director at Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, an outreach of Vail Health. “The two biggest challenges we hear constantly is the lack of providers who accept insurance and the availability of providers for same-day appointments. CMM is now addressing both gaps. You can get services rapidly, and they are accepting insurance.”
Through CMM’s partnership with Vail Health and Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, CMM is committed to helping the community address the behavioral health crisis that currently exists.
“We have found a fantastic partner in Vail Health and its CEO Will Cook. We share a vision, and I appreciate Will’s understanding of the important role physicians play in caring for a community,” said Dr. Brooks Bock, CEO of CMM. “These improvements are only the beginning, and we look forward to future opportunities to create a more comprehensive and integrated health care network for our patients.”