Partnership brings integrated, oncology-specific behavioral health services to cancer patients across the greater Chicagoland area

NEW YORK, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Protocol Behavioral Health (“Protocol”), the leading provider of oncology-specific behavioral health services, today announced its expansion into Illinois through a partnership with Affiliated Oncologists, a premier community oncology practice with more than 45 clinicians serving patients across the South Chicago region. The partnership kicks off Protocol’s market expansion into the greater Chicagoland market.

More than half of cancer patients experience anxiety, depression, trauma, or cognitive impairment during treatment, yet fewer than 10% receive behavioral health support. For community oncology practices, the challenge is acute: physicians and care teams see the distress every day, but fragmented referral pathways, long waitlists, and a shortage of clinicians trained in psycho-oncology have made it difficult to get patients the help they need.

“Behavioral health is not an adjacent service in cancer care; it is core to whether patients stay engaged in treatment and how they experience their entire care journey,” said Dr. Amar Hamad, Affiliated Oncologists’ practice President. “Protocol’s model provides our practice with a more efficient way to deliver comprehensive behavioral health services to all our patients, throughout their treatment journey, without adding burden to physicians and staff or additional overhead to the practice. Protocol, in partnership with Affiliated Oncologists, enhances our continued commitment to whole-person care.”

“For years, practices like Affiliated Oncologists have wanted to do more for their patients’ mental health needs but have lacked a partner built for the realities of oncology,” said Jack Fitzgibbons, Co-Founder and CEO of Protocol. “They chose Protocol because our model works alongside their existing workflows, as our care teams actively engage patients, operating as a true extension of the practice. Bringing this to the Midwest, in my own backyard, makes this partnership particularly special.”

Through the partnership, Affiliated Oncologists’ patients gain access to behavioral health care managers and licensed clinicians trained in psycho-oncology, with psychiatric support available when indicated. Patients are reached within 48 hours of referral, and care is delivered through the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM), which the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines formally recognized in January 2026 as part of the standard of care for distress management in oncology. 

The Midwest expansion reflects Protocol’s commitment to leading community oncology practices, with additional markets launching later this summer.

ABOUT AFFILIATED ONCOLOGISTS
Affiliated Oncologists (AO) is a premier, community-based cancer care and hematology practice serving the greater Chicago area for over 50 years. Operating as a multidisciplinary team of board-certified specialists, including Medical Oncology, Hematology, Radiation Oncology, and Gynecologic Oncology, AO provides personalized, state-of-the-art treatments for cancer and blood disorders through its 45+ total medical providers.

ABOUT PROTOCOL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Protocol Behavioral Health provides mental health care tailored to the unique needs of cancer patients. The company partners with oncology practices to integrate evidence-based behavioral health services directly into cancer care delivery. Protocol is backed by Juxtapose, a leading investment firm focused on building category-defining companies from the ground up. To learn more, visit www.protocolcares.com.

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SOURCE Protocol Behavioral Health