MHIP helps low income or safety net populations throughout the state of Washington by integrating high quality mental health treatment into primary care settings using Collaborative Care.

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.

HRSA and NIMH contracted with the AIMS Center to train and support 11 nurse-led safety-net clinics throughout the US as they implemented Collaborative Care. 

The AIMS Center provided training and technical assistance to St. Luke’s Health System as they implemented a Collaborative Care program in April 2017.  This implementation took place over 12 months and included three clinics in spring 2017 and two clinics in fall 2017. Eventually collaborative care will be spread across the entire of network of clinics at St. Luke’s Health System, the only Idaho-based, not-for-profit health system. 

The number of older adults is rising sharply and is expected to increase from 40.3 million to 72.1 million between 2010 and 2030. According to the Pew Research Center, 92% of adults aged 65 and older use text messaging. Despite misconceptions to the contrary, text messaging as part of primary care for older adults is growing. Text messaging holds promise as a strategy for engaging older adults in Collaborative Care depression treatment through frequent contact with a behavioral health care manager.

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.

BHIP uses Collaborative Care to bring mental health treatment into UW Neighborhood Clinics, a system of primary care clinics located throughout greater Seattle.

In the largest treatment trial for depression to date, a team of researchers led by Dr. Jürgen Unützer followed 1,801 depressed, older adults from 18 diverse primary care clinics across the United States for two years.

The New York State Collaborative Care Initiative helped primary care residents learn how to effectively practice team-based care to treat mental health conditions, a skill that has become increasingly important as integrated care becomes more widespread.

The AIMS Center helped 30 primary care clinics in Alameda County develop an integrated mental health care initiative targeting depression, anxiety, and PTSD to increase the effectiveness of 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 project aims to establish acceptance, effectiveness, and cost-efficacy of telehealth for delivery of mental health and pain medicine care in rural primary care.

The Mental Health Integrated Care Program targets adults with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Providing mental health education, outreach, and early identification of mental health problems can mitigate costly negative long-term outcomes.

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.