INTEGRATED DEPRESSION CARE: An Evidence-Based Approach

September 22-24, 2010
Bell Harbor International Conference Center
2211 Alaskan Way, Pier 66
Seattle, WA, 98121

For nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physicians, managers, administrators, case managers, medical assistants, and other health and social service providers who work with depressed adults or adolescents.

This training conference introduces you to an evidence-based model of collaborative care management for depression. A nationwide study demonstrated that this team care approach more than doubles the effectiveness of depression treatment and that the effects of the program are sustained even one year after it ends (1,2). IMPACT is associated with significantly greater improvement in depression, functioning, and quality of life over a 2-year follow-up period compared with usual care (1-3). Reports also show a reduction of more than $3,000 on total health care costs over a four year period (4). IMPACT is endorsed by the Institute of Medicine, the SAMHSA-sponsored Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce and the National Business Group on Health, among others. 

Major depression and dysthymic disorder affect 5%-10% of adults who seek health care for other illnesses. Depression is associated with substantial suffering, functional impairment, and diminished quality of life. Patients who are depressed are frequent users of general medical services and are at increased risk of death from suicide and medical illnesses. This conference presents practical strategies for implementing the IMPACT model in a variety of settings, including:

• Primary care
• Behavioral healthcare settings (alone or in collaboration with primary care)
• HMOs
• Hospital / physician organizations
• Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and community health centers

Teaching methods include lecture, demonstration, discussion, skill development, practice sessions, concurrent sessions, and case study analysis.

Objectives

Participants are encouraged to register with other team members, including managers and administrators, to evaluate the model for implementation in their practice settings.

After attending this conference, you will be better able to:

• Describe key elements of evidence-based depression care
• Demonstrate practical, evidence-based approaches to recognizing and treating depression in a variety of clinical settings
• Describe the effectiveness of collaborative care with clinically challenging cases, e.g., persistent depression and comorbid medical or psychiatric conditions
• Demonstrate non-pharmacologic treatments, like behavioral activation
• Discuss the effects of depression and strategies for treatment for specific populations, e.g., mothers, adolescents and patients with chronic pain or illness
• Identify challenges and successes in implementing IMPACT in different settings
• Develop a plan for implementing IMPACT in your setting

1. Unützer J, et al. (2002) Collaborative Care Management of Late-life depression in the Primary Care Setting: a Randomized    Controlled Trial. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 288(22):2836-2845.

2. Hunkeler E, et al. (2006) Long Term Outcomes from the IMPACT Randomised Trial for Depressed Older Primary Care    Patients. British Medical Journal. 332(7536): 259-263.

3. Callahan CM, et al. (2005) Treatment of Depression Improves Physical Functioning in Older Adults. Journal of the American    Geriatric Society. 53(3):367-373.

4. Unützer J, et al. (2008) Long-term Cost Effects of Collaborative Care for Late-life Depression. American Journal of Managed    Care. (14):95-100.