Mental Health

Research overview

Mental health is a vital part of overall health. But traditional mental health care reaches only a fraction of the millions who could benefit. So researchers at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) are finding practical, patient-centered ways to reach people affected by conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety.

“Many of the ideas that are changing American mental health care were first tested here at Kaiser Permanente Washington,” says Gregory Simon MD, MPH, senior investigator at KPWHRI and a Kaiser Permanente Washington psychiatrist. “We’re now working to spread those innovations to large health systems across the country.”

“We emphasize that people living with psychological problems are not defined by their condition,” says Senior Research Associate Evette J. Ludman, PhD. “We go beyond the traditional focus on resolving symptoms and help people harness their motivation to achieve a healthier life.”

Innovative patient-centered mental health programs developed at KPWHRI include:

• collaborative care to integrate depression mental health care with general medical care;
• flexible, patient-centered psychotherapy programs organized around peoples’ preferences and values and delivered online or by phone;
• depression programs tailored for people with other health conditions (diabetes, heart disease, obesity);
• using technology such as the Internet and secure email for outreach and care coordination;
• outreach to reduce the risk of self-harm or suicide attempts;
• improving physical health in people with severe mental health problems;
• combining peer support with professional treatment for mood disorders;
• broadening the focus of mental health treatment from symptom management to recovery;
• activating mental health patients to be more knowledgeable and assertive;
• reducing use of high-risk medications in both children and older adults; and
• collaborating with health systems through the national Mental Health Research Network to systematically measure and improve outcomes of care.

“We are partnering with health care leaders at Kaiser Permanente Washington and other health systems to test innovative programs and implement treatments that work,” Dr. Simon says. “We want ‘learning health care system’ to be more than a slogan.” 

Affiliate researchers in mental health

Paul Crane, MD, MPH
Professor, Internal Medicine
University of Washington

Laura P. Richardson, MD, MPH
Adolescent Medicine
Seattle Children's Hospital
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Washington

Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH
Professor and Chair of Psychiatry, 
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
University of Washington

Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
Investigator
Health Services Research & Development
VA Puget Sound Health Care System