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The Cancer Care Journey: From Screening to Survivorship ECHO Application

Thank you for your interest in applying to The Cancer Care Journey: From Screening to Survivorship ECHO brought to you by the National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control.


In five 90-minute virtual sessions from April through August 2026, participants will develop practical knowledge and strategies to support people with pre-existing mental health and substance use challenges through cancer prevention, treatment, survivorship planning, and system navigation within their organizations and communities. There is no cost for participation.


ECHO is a collaborative model of learning involving brief educational presentations from experts and an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning through case study presentations. This ECHO series aims to:
  • Increase understanding of cancer-related challenges affecting people with mental health and substance use challenges.
  • Improve coordination between behavioral health and oncology systems.
  • Equip participants with practical tools to support individuals before, during, and after cancer treatment.
ECHO Series Sessions

Session Date Topic
Office Hours Tuesday 3/17, 2-3p.m. ET
(Optional) Learn more about the ECHO series
Session 1 Thursday 4/16, 2-3:30p.m. ET
Tobacco-Related Cancer and Behavioral Health Considerations
Session 2 Thursday 5/21, 2-3:30p.m. ET
Screening and Diagnosis
Session 3 Thursday, 6/18, 2-3:30p.m. ET
Pre- and Intra-Treatment Services and Supports
Session 4 Thursday 7/16, 2-3:30p.m. ET
Post-Treatment Services and Supports
Session 5 Thursday 8/13, 2-3:30p.m. ET
Survivorship and Systems Engagement
Part 1. Important Information

Who Should Apply?

We highly encourage staff from National Comprehensive Cancer Control Programs and Cancer Coalitions to apply. This series is designed for cancer care coordinators, social workers, and clinicians, as well as public health professionals, community health workers, mental health and substance use treatment providers, and other multidisciplinary team members who support individuals affected by cancer and co-occurring mental health or substance use conditions.

Participating teams will include three or more members from the organization. To ensure each organization fully benefits from this ECHO, team members are encouraged to attend each session together.

Application Process

This application includes information about your organization, members of the team who will participate, and a case study submission.

Application Deadline: Friday, March 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Questions?

Contact Zachary Prezotti at ZacharyP@TheNationalCouncil.org.

Part 2. Application Questions
1.Organization Information(Required.)
2.Organization Type(Required.)
3.Does your organization represent or primarily serve an American Indian/Alaskan Native Tribe, Tribal organization, or Indigenous community?(Required.)
4.Team Member #1 (Must have a minimum of 3 team members)(Required.)
5.Team Member #2 (Must have a minimum of 3 team members)(Required.)
6.Team Member #3 (Must have a minimum of 3 team members)(Required.)
7.What is a strength of your organization when it comes to supporting individuals with mental health or substance use challenges through the cancer care journey?(Required.)
8.What are some priority areas that you wish to learn about related to supporting people with pre-existing mental health or substance use challenges through the cancer care journey?(Required.)
9.Is there anything else you would like us to know? (Additional team members, questions, etc)
Part 3. Case Study Submission

During each ECHO session, a participating team will very briefly present their organization’s “case” and seek feedback and discussion from other participants and experts.

Case presentations are truly the core of every ECHO session and each participant who presents will gain access to unique feedback and questions from participants and experts in this all-teach, all-learn format. The ECHO faculty and the session facilitator will moderate the case presentation and discussion portion of every session to ensure all participants have a chance to engage in peer-to-peer learning.

All participants must submit one case study (Application Questions 11 - 15). An example is included at the end of this section.

Considerations:
  • The case study portion of sessions includes a brief (5-minute) participant presentation of the case, followed by open discussion and consultation facilitated by session faculty.
  • Case studies offer participants the opportunity to share a specific challenge or experience and gather feedback and insights from subject matter experts and peers. Leverage this opportunity to receive feedback and support from others by having an “ask” for your peers.
  • Remember to omit Protected Health Information (PHI).
  • Presentations are delivered in a standard format, using the Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) prompts included in this application and with specific questions to generate feedback.
10.Is your team willing to present one case study as well as actively participate in case study discussions? This is a requirement for ECHO participation.(Required.)
Case Study Details

(An example case study is included at the end of this section)

If you are accepted to participate in this ECHO series, you will be notified if you are selected for a case presentation at least 2 weeks prior to the ECHO session. Your presentation will consist of describing your responses to the following prompts:
11.Situation. In 1-2 sentences, describe the specific situation (or “case”) to share with the ECHO cohort. What is the specific problem or challenge related to supporting people with mental health and substance use challenges through the cancer care journey?(Required.)
12.Background. Provide relevant context for the case in 2-3 sentences. Briefly outline key details, such as demographics (de-identified), medical or psychosocial history, or organizational factors contributing to the situation.(Required.)
13.Assessment. Summarize observations and/or challenges in 3-5 sentences. The summary may include some of the following: What strengths and barriers have been identified that will impact care delivery or patient outcomes? What actions have been taken so far?(Required.)
14.Recommendation. Briefly propose solutions in 3-5 sentences. What strategies or interventions have you considered?(Required.)
15.Questions for Discussion. Seek input from the group. What are two to three questions you have for faculty and participants?(Required.)
Example Case Study SBAR

Situation:

A 56-year-old female patient has been referred to the cancer center for initiation of treatment following a recent diagnosis of stage II non-small cell lung cancer. The patient is an active smoker and presents with complex behavioral health and social needs that may impact treatment engagement, adherence, and overall outcomes.

Background:

The patient has a 24 pack-year smoking history and currently uses nicotine products, primarily cigarettes. She has a history of houselessness and is presently residing in a sober living home in an urban area after recently completing residential inpatient treatment for opioid use disorder. In addition, she has a documented history of generalized anxiety disorder.

Assessment:

Emotionally, the patient expresses significant fear related to her diagnosis, stating, “I survived drug addiction just to die from cancer.” She reports anxiety around doctors and other healthcare professionals, as well as concern that the stress associated with her cancer diagnosis and treatment could contribute to relapse of opioid use. She also shares worries about the stability of her housing situation despite currently living in sober housing and notes that she does not have a strong support system.

Actions we have taken include beginning to make connections to peer recovery services and cancer support groups to improve engagement and reduce isolation because the patient reports limited social support. Additionally, screening for depression, trauma-related symptoms, and suicide risk are planned.

Recommendation:

Care should focus on coordinated, trauma-informed support that addresses oncology treatment, tobacco use, behavioral health, and social stability while maintaining communication across oncology, behavioral health, and recovery care teams to support an integrated, whole-person approach. The patient would benefit from patient navigation, referral to an evidence-based oncology tobacco cessation program, integrated behavioral health support with coordination across the patient’s opioid use disorder recovery providers, and oncology social work.

Questions for Discussion:

What strategies have been successful for ensuring communication across all members of a care team that is responsive to the patient’s anxiety and prior healthcare experiences?

What resources can be leveraged to support the patient’s ongoing recovery from opioid use disorder during cancer treatment?
Application Deadline: Friday, March 20 at 11:59p.m. ET

Send questions to: ZacharyP@TheNationalCouncil.org

Thank you!