Community Case Study for Enhancing Integrated Mental Health Treatment For Asian Americans: A Collaborative Practice Model.

This article examines how ethnoreligious identities influence the underutilization of mental health services among Asian American Christian communities, focusing on a collaborative case study of Korean and Chinese American (KCA) clergy and therapists in Chicago. It highlights the development and application of the Collaborative Practice Model (CPM), a framework emphasizing person-centered, recovery-oriented care through open dialogue, mutual understanding, and shared decision-making among stakeholders. The article details how KCA clergy and clinicians formed the Pastors and Counselors Together (PACT) initiative to integrate cultural, religious, and clinical perspectives, thereby improving mental health outcomes for clients whose symptoms are intertwined with their ethnoreligious beliefs. A fictional client case illustrates how coordinated care between clergy and therapists can address complex mental health and spiritual needs effectively. The discussion underscores the importance of culturally tailored collaboration and suggests that similar models could benefit other Asian American Christian communities nationally.