Improvement & Learning Collaboratives
CQC’s improvement and learning collaboratives are multi-year programs offering technical assistance. Program participants receive personalized coaching from experts and engage in educational opportunities including virtual peer sharing, site visits and data analytics. These programs aim to foster a sustainable health care system accessible to all.
Current Programs
Behavioral Health Integration – Children and Youth Collaborative Learning Exchange
Read More about Behavioral Health Integration – Children and Youth Collaborative Learning ExchangeBehavioral Health Integration Initiative | The Behavioral Health Integration – Children and Youth Collaborative Learning Exchange is a nine-month learning collaborative for organizations experienced in integrating behavioral health services into primary care for children and youth.
Payment Model Demonstration Project
Read More about Payment Model Demonstration ProjectCalifornia Advanced Primary Care Initiative | The Payment Model Demonstration Project will test a common value-based payment model with approximately 30 independent practices in California to strengthen primary care delivery.
CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration
Read More about CalHIVE Behavioral Health IntegrationBehavioral Health Integration Initiative | CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration is a three-year improvement collaborative supporting California-based primary care practices to integrate behavioral health services.
Past Programs & Initiatives
Equity and Quality at Independent Practices in LA County
Read More about Equity and Quality at Independent Practices in LA CountyDates Active: 2023–2025 | Equity and Quality at Independent Practices in LA County is a two-year improvement collaborative led by the California Quality Collaborative dedicated to reducing disparities of care experienced by Medi-Cal enrollees of color.
CalHIVE Telehealth & Virtual Care
Read More about CalHIVE Telehealth & Virtual CareDates Active: 2020–2022 | The CalHIVE Telehealth & Virtual Care Improvement Collaborative was a two-year improvement collaborative providing technical assistance to clinicians to improve remote chronic disease management of patients with diabetes and asthma within the primary care setting.
Practice Transformation Initiative
Read More about Practice Transformation InitiativeDates Active: 2016-2019 | The Practice Transformation Initiative was a four-year initiative that engaged 4,800 clinicians statewide contracted with provider organizations to improve measures of cost, quality and patient experience.
Intensive Outpatient Care Program
Read More about Intensive Outpatient Care ProgramDates Active: 2012-2015 | The Intensive Outpatient Care Program was a three-year initiative by the California Quality Collaborative from 2012 to 2015, focused on helping provider organizations implement team-based care for high-risk, complex patients.
Featured
‘Pay attention to what we’re doing here’: 3 payers come together on new payment model in California
This article highlights a groundbreaking value-based payment model in California, co-led by CQC and IHA, launched in early 2025 with 11 provider organizations serving around 17,000 patients, aiming to address challenges in primary care reimbursement, health outcomes and disparities.
Blue Shield of California’s Role in a Groundbreaking Payer-Provider Initiative
Blue Shield’s Dr. Nina Birnbaum shares how the health plan is working with CQC, IHA and fellow payers to co-implement a shared value-based payment model. The initiative prioritizes small practices, unified data and aligned incentives to improve care quality and equity across California.
Dr. Todd May, Vice President and Medical Director at Health Net
Health Net’s Dr. Todd May joins the podcast to discuss California’s new multi-payer value-based payment model, co-led by CQC and IHA. He shares how major insurers are working together to strengthen primary care, advance equity and transform provider payment statewide.
A Provider Leader Looks at California’s Multi-Plan Breakthrough Around Value-Based Care
IHA’s Dolores Yanagihara discusses California’s first unified value-based payment model, co-led by CQC and IHA. The initiative supports primary care practices with aligned incentives, shared data and coaching to improve outcomes and equity statewide.
California insurers join forces on value-based primary care model
This Fierce Healthcare article spotlights CQC’s leadership in launching a unified, multi-plan value-based payment model to strengthen primary care in California. The initiative supports independent practices with increased payments, shared data systems, and hands-on coaching—reducing administrative burden and enabling population health approaches that can improve outcomes statewide.
A Health Plan Leader’s Perspective on California’s Multi-Plan Value Breakthrough
Health Net’s Dr. Todd May spotlights CQC’s leadership in a first-of-its-kind value-based payment model uniting three health plans. The initiative supports primary care practices with aligned incentives, unified data and technical assistance to drive better outcomes and equity statewide.
In California, a First-Ever Multi-Plan, Integrated Approach to Value-Based Contracting
This Healthcare Innovation article spotlights CQC’s leadership in launching California’s first unified, multi-plan value-based payment model. In partnership with IHA and three major health plans, the initiative reduces administrative burden, supports independent practices and advances high-quality, equitable primary care statewide.
Resources
Empowering Change: The Role of Community-Based Coaching in Health Care Transformation
Approaches to Designing Equity-Centered Quality Improvement Projects
Designing an Effective Colorectal Cancer Outreach Campaign
Prospectus | Behavioral Health Integration – Children and Youth Collaborative Learning Exchange
Behavioral Health Integration – Children and Youth Collaborative Learning Exchange is a nine-month learning collaborative to help provider organizations experienced in behavioral health integration supporting children and youth to share, spread and showcase successful practices.
CQC Success Story | BH Screening and Brief Intervention for Referral and Treatment
Golden Valley Health Center, a participant in CQC’s Practice Transformation Initiative, was able to improve screening and treatment for behavioral health at rural health centers through expanded virtual access.
Past Events and Training
Improvement Coaching Workshop
The California Quality Collaborative’s 2024 Equity and Quality at Independent Practices in LA County Annual Convening is a day of insightful discussions, collaborative activities and innovative thinking aimed at enhancing health care quality and sustainability for improvement collaborative participants.
Behavioral Health Integration Financing Convening
The California Quality Collaborative’s Behavioral Health Integration Financing Convening brings together stakeholders to explore findings from statewide interviews on sustainable payment practices and brainstorm improvement opportunities for integrating behavioral health into primary care.
2024 EQuIP-LA Annual Convening
The California Quality Collaborative’s 2024 Equity and Quality at Independent Practices in LA County Annual Convening is a day of insightful discussions, collaborative activities and innovative thinking aimed at enhancing health care quality and sustainability for improvement collaborative participants.
2024 CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration Annual Convening
The California Quality Collaborative’s CalHIVE Behavioral Health Integration Annual Convening is a two-day learning and networking session for improvement collaborative participants.
Behavioral Health Integration Fundamentals: Concepts & Models
Integrating behavioral health into primary care is essential for providers looking to deliver patient-centered, high-quality and whole-person care. Yet many health care organizations struggle with knowing where to begin.