Association Between Mental Health Staffing Level and Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Level on Provision of Depression Care in Veteran's Affairs Medical Facilities.

Cooper DC, Helfrich CD, Thielke SM, Trivedi RB, Nelson KM, Reiber GE, Eugenio EC, Beaver K, Nugent-Carney J, Fan VS. Association Between Mental Health Staffing Level and Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Level on Provision of Depression Care in Veteran's Affairs Medical Facilities. Administration and policy in mental health. 2018 Jan 1; 45(1):131-141.

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Abstract:

We examined the association of mental health staffing and the utilization of primary care/mental health integration (PCMHI) with facility-level variations in adequacy of psychotherapy and antidepressants received by Veterans with new, recurrent, and chronic depression. Greater likelihood of adequate psychotherapy was associated with increased (1) PCMHI utilization by recurrent depression patients (AOR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00, 1.03); and (2) staffing for recurrent (AOR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01, 1.06) and chronic (AOR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00, 1.03) depression patients (p? < 0.05). No effects were found for antidepressants. Mental health staffing and PCMHI utilization explained only a small amount of the variance in the adequacy of depression care.