Premera Rural Mental Health Initiative

Behavioral health conditions are expected to increase and worsen as a result of COVID-19. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, 36% of respondents said that COVID-19 is "seriously affecting their mental health" and most (59%) said it's having a serious impact on their daily life (^1). Primary care is likely to see many of these patients. 

Collaborative Care (CoCM) is a model for integrated behavioral health with a strong evidence base for treating common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety in primary care settings (^2). CoCM has proven to be effective when delivered via telehealth, either in part or wholly (^3). 

EXPANDING ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

Poor mental health is a major public health issue, affecting millions of people in their pursuit to lead optimal emotional, social, and professional lives. Depression alone can worsen other medical conditions, often doubling over-all healthcare costs, and result in a staggering loss of productivity at work and in the home. In underserved rural areas in Washington and Alaska, a severe shortage of mental health providers compounds these problems.

The AIMS Center is partnering with Premera to support up to 30 clinics in rural Washington and Alaska to expand access to evidence-based mental health treatment. Selected clinics will receive up to $245,000 over 15 months to defray participation costs. 

Interested? 

Please fill in the form below to receive announcements about future opportunities for participation:

• Cohort 3 Interest List
   

Contact 

ruralmh@uw.edu 
 

Cohort 1

Congratulations to the 9 primary care clinics selected through a competitive process to participate in the first cohort of the Rural Mental Health Integration Initiative! The following clinics are committed to implementing high quality, evidence-based integrated care in their rural communities:

• Confluence Health | Omak, WA
• Coulee Medical Center | Grand Coulee, WA 
• Jefferson Healthcare - Sheridan | Port Townsend, WA 
• Dena'ina Wellness Center | Kenai, AK
• Kittitas Valley Healthcare | Cle Elum, WA 
• NEW Health - Colville Community Health Center | Colville, WA 
• PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center | Friday Harbor, WA 
• Petersburg Medical Center | Petersburg, AK
• Sunshine Community Health Center | Talkeetna, AK

Last updated: 8/22/2020

1. High Anxiety in America over COVID-19 - MedScape - Mar 28, 2020. 
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927711

2. Archer, J. et al. (2012) Collaborative care for people with anxiety and depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 10. Art. No.: CD006525. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006525.pub2

3. Fortney, J. et al. (2013) Practice-based versus telemedicine-based collaborative care for depression in rural federally qualified health centers: a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness trial. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3816374/