Primary care and community-based organization partnerships show promise for treating depression in older adults.  

Background 

Depression is a common condition across age groups, yet older adults face unique circumstances impacting their mental health, such as changes in physical and cognitive health and evolving social needs. While models that integrate behavioral health care into primary care, such as the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM), are effective at treating depression for many people, studies suggest that gaps in care remain. This study of the Care Partners Project assessed depression outcomes in older adults for an initiative in which primary care clinics provided CoCM and partnered with community-based organizations (CBOs) to support treatment and address social needs.  

Findings  

This study assessed the impact of eight primary care- CBO partnerships and had a sample size of 707 adults aged 60 and older. Sixty-seven percent of patients had a clinically significant improvement in depression symptoms between baseline and follow up PHQ-9 assessments. Forty-eight percent of patients showed a 50% or greater improvement from their baseline PHQ-9 score. 

Policy/Program Takeaways 

Partnering with CBOs to address social needs may support effective depression treatment. Providers, payers, and policymakers may explore how to implement and support behavioral health integration models that address social needs.