Psychiatric Pharmacy Essentials: Collaborative Practice Agreements

Most collaborative practice agreements (CPAs) focus on optimizing patient therapy through interprofessional care to provide peak service and improve quality of life and overall wellbeing. Note that individual State Boards of Pharmacy should be consulted to address specific legislative requirements associated with CPA development.

  • Where can I find innovative CPA information and translational tools for implementing a CPA at my facility?1-3
  • What are key themes for successful implementation of collaborative care?4-6
  • What are some examples of CPAs, including psychiatric pharmacist-led CPAs?7-11
  • What are the state laws regarding CPAs?12-13
  • What is the scope of practice for pharmacists who practice within the Veterans Health Administration?14

Reviewer 1: Roisin Sabol, PharmD
Reviewer 2: Austin Smith, PharmD, BCPP
2024-2025 AAPP Resident and New Practitioner Committee

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advancing team-based care through collaborative practice agreements: a resource and implementation guide for adding pharmacists to the care team. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2017. [Weblink]
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Collaborative practice agreements and pharmacists’ patient care services: a resource for pharmacists. Atlanta, GA: US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2013. [Weblink]
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Collaborative practice agreements and pharmacists’ patient care services: a resource for doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other providers. Atlanta, GA: US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2013. [Weblink]
  4. American Pharmacists Association Foundation and American Pharmacists Association. Consortium recommendations for advancing pharmacists' patient care services and collaborative practice agreements. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2013 Mar-Apr;53(2):e132-41. [PubMed]
  5. National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations. Collaborative practice agreements: resources and more. June 8, 2017. [Weblink]
  6. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Collaborative practice agreements elevator Speech. April 2024. [Weblink]
  7. California State Board of Pharmacy. Sample collaborative practice agreement. [Weblink]
  8. Tennessee Pharmacists Association. Clinical pharmacy collaborative practice agreement. [Weblink]
  9. Silvia R, Plum M, Dufresne R. Efficiencies and outcomes of depression treatment by a psychiatric pharmacist in a primary care clinic compared with treatment within a behavioral health clinic. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2020;60(5S):S98-S106. DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2020.05.015. PubMed PMID: 32665098.
  10. Lee KC, Kim E, Kim J, Malcolm B, Kuo GM, Bird A, et al. Development of an innovative adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder clinic. Ment Health Clin. 2020;10(5):296-300. DOI: 10.9740/mhc.2020.09.296. PubMed PMID: 33062556; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7534811.
  11. Green TC, Serafinski R, Clark SA, Rich JD, Bratberg J. Physician-delegated unobserved induction with buprenorphine in pharmacies. N Engl J Med. 2023 Jan 12;388(2):185-186. [PubMed]
  12. Hill JD, Hill JM, Gentile NJ. A review of state pharmacist collaborative practice laws. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2016 Sep 15;73(18):1467-72. [PubMed]
  13. Cernasev A, Aruru M, Clark S, Patel K, DiPietro Mager N, Subramaniam V, Truong HA. Empowering public health pharmacy practice-moving from collaborative practice agreements to provider status in the U.S. Pharmacy (Basel). 2021 Mar 9;9(1):57. [PubMed]
  14. VHA Handbook 1108:11(1): Clinical Pharmacy Services. [Weblink]