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.”
Innovative patient-centered mental health programs developed at KPWHRI include:
“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.”
Parast L, Burkhart Q, Bardach NS, Thombley R, Basco WT Jr, Barabell G, Williams DJ, Mitchel E, Machado E Jr, Raghavan P, Tolpadi A, Mangione-Smith R. Development and Testing of an Emergency Department Quality Measure for Pediatric Suicidal Ideation and Self-Harm. Acad Pediatr. 2022;22(3S):S92-S99. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.03.005. PubMed
Shaw JL, Beans JA, Noonan C, Smith JJ, Mosley M, Lillie KM, Avey JP, Ziebell R, Simon G. Validating a predictive algorithm for suicide risk with Alaska Native populations. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2022 Mar 15. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12853. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Rossom RC, Penfold RB, Owen-Smith AA, Simon GE, Ahmedani BK. Suicide deaths before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: an interrupted time-series study. Med Care. 2022 Mar 1. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001700. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Simon GE, Shortreed SM, Rossom RC, Beck A, Clarke GN, Whiteside U, Richards JE, Penfold RB, Boggs JM, Smith J. Effect of offering care management or online dialectical behavior therapy skills training vs usual care on self-harm among adult outpatients with suicidal ideation: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2022;327(7):630-638. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.0423. PubMed
Lewis CC, Scott K, Rodriguez-Quintana N, Hoffacker C, Boys C, Hindman R. Implementation of the Wolverine mental health program, part 3: sustainment phase. Cogn Behav Pract. 2022;29(1):244-255. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2021.06.010. Epub 2021 Aug 5. PubMed
![]() Gregory E. Simon, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Ben Balderson, PhDResearch Associate |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute |
![]() Jennifer B. McClure, PhDDirector, Investigative Science |
![]() Robert Penfold, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Karen J. Sherman, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Susan M. Shortreed, PhDSenior Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Dori E. Rosenberg, PhD, MPHAssociate Investigator |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Jennifer F. Bobb, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Cara C. Lewis, PhD, HSPPSenior Investigator |
![]() Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWAssociate Investigator |
![]() Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() Julie E. Richards, PhD, MPHResearch Associate III |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Lynn DeBar, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Yates Coley, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() David S. Carrell, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Abisola Idu, MS, MPHCollaborative Biostatistician I |
![]() Eric Johnson, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Rod L. Walker, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Robert D. Wellman,Senior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Julia J. Smith,Senior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Leah K. Hamilton, PhDResearch Associate II |
![]() Brian D. Williamson, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Rosemary Meza, PhD, MSResearch Associate II |
Paul Crane, MD, MPH
Professor, Internal Medicine
University of Washington
Patrick Heagerty, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Biostatistics
University of Washington
Laura P. Richardson, MD, MPH
Adolescent Medicine
Seattle Children's Hospital
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Washington
Noah R. Simon, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biostatistics
University of Washington
Principal Investigator, Therapeutics Development
Seattle Children’s Research Institute
Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
Investigator
Health Services Research & Development
VA Puget Sound Health Care System