More than 20 years of research evidence across more than 80 randomized controlled trials has established Collaborative Care as the integrated care approach with the most research evidence across all kinds of clinical delivery systems, patient populations, and geographic regions. This research evidence is replicated in dozens of peer reviewed publications evaluating implementation of Collaborative Care in real-world settings.

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.

Many older adults are reluctant to seek depression treatment yet may participate in community-based programs or have close relationships with family and friends. This project explores different ways of engaging older adults in the treatment of depression.

Primary care providers receive training and technical assistance to implement a Collaborative Care (CoCM) program or spread their existing CoCM services to enhance care for women with perinatal depression and other behavioral health disorders. 

Poor mental health is a major public health issue that robs millions of people of their chance to lead healthy and productive lives. Depression alone doubles overall healthcare costs, worsens other medical conditions, and results in a staggering loss of productivity at work. In underserved rural areas in the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) region, a severe shortage of mental health providers compounds these problems.

The Collaborative Care Medicaid Program (CCMP) is a program helping clinics in New York to fully integrate behavioral health screening and treatment into primary care settings and to provide reimbursement for those services.

CHAMP (Collaborating to Heal Opioid Addiction and Mental Health in Primary Care) is a NIMH-funded research study testing whether Collaborative Care that addresses both mental health conditions and co-occurring opioid use disorder can improve patient lives. 

The research project “Using Technology to Optimize Collaborative Care Management of Depression in Urban and Rural Cancer Centers” will develop, build, and test a web & mobile platform to enhance the implementation and fidelity of CoCM of depression for patients being treated at 2 urban and 2 rural cancer centers.

Native American people often experience disparities in mental health care and clinical outcomes associated with that care. The AIMS Center is working with the Western Oregon Service Unit of the Indian Health Service, the Warm Springs Reservation, the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, and George Fox University to implement Collaborative Care.

Stay Connected is a prevention intervention for older adults experiencing stress, loneliness, or depression symptoms due to increased isolation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding to test and implement the intervention has come from the Archstone Foundation, NIMH, and the City of Seattle. 

The New York State Office of Mental Health selected 19 Delivery System Reform Incentive Program clinics to participate in a year-long learning network where clinics are encouraged to build relationships and learn from one another throughout training from the AIMS Center and Qualis Health.

This study will test an adapted version of TEAMCare –– a clinic-ready model for managing medical and behavioral conditions –– in patients with poorly controlled diabetes and depression at three sites in India.

This project aims to establish acceptance, effectiveness, and cost-efficacy of telehealth for delivery of mental health and pain medicine care in rural primary care.

Jürgen Unützer is consulting to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to help implement and support comprehensive evidence-based depression care management in the context of its Health Improvement Initiatives.